A Seam in Time
by dem bones
Summary: AU after GOF. It's been over a year since Hermione Granger has been missing and Harry has longed to find a way to search for her but it falls short. Will Harry ever be able to bring Hermione home or will he fall in love along the way? HP/SS slash, RL/HG, Time Travel
1. Chapter 1

Title: A Seam in Time

Author: dem bones

Genres: Romance/Drama

Pairings: Main HP/SS, RL/HG with more surprises.

Summary: AU after GOF. It's been over a year since Hermione Granger has been missing and Harry has longed to find a way to search for her but it falls short. Will Harry ever be able to bring Hermione home or will he fall in love along the way?

Warnings: SLASH, HET, Femmeslash, maybe INCEST, dysfunctional relationships, arranged marriages, character death, offensive language, harems, implied child abuse, smut in later chapters

A/N: Written for Ultimate OTP competition with prompt: library, the Cross-gen boot camp with prompt: misinterpretation, the AU Diversity Boot Camp with prompt: Help and the Time Travel Boot Camp with prompt: Maybe we were put here for a reason

Chapter 1. Back in Time: September 15, 1996

While everyone had been practising defensive spells during class, Harry Potter had found himself peering at Professor Snape with conflicting emotions.

If it wasn't for the incident over a year ago, Harry imagined they would have been quite distant. With the disappearance of Hermione Granger, Dumbledore had thought it to be more important that ever for the two of them to put aside their differences.

Needless to say it wasn't exactly one of the brightest ideas, he had. The two hardly got along as it was. Everything at the time had been strained and Harry had remembered often remembered the spats they had got into.

Harry didn't know when it happened though but suddenly that seemed to vanish and slowly he began to discover more about the professor. One might say it was against his will that he knew more about the man than he had ever cared to know.

With much surprise, the events brought them closer in a way that not even Harry could fully comprehend.

The man had taught him a lot of things and Harry began to slowly see, slowly open his eyes to who the man truly was and with that came the horrible revelation that he had developed feelings towards him.

Snape had a surprisingly agile grace with teaching the class new defensive spells. As the new Defence Against the Dark Arts professor it was to be expected.

It was one of many things that had Harry was attracted to. He didn't dare mention his fascination with the thin sinewy body, his firm chest, his feisty furiosity or his openly defiant stubbornness though.

From behind Professor Snape, Draco Malfoy met his eyes glaring at him wholeheartedly. There was something peculiar about the way he was gazing at Harry as if to tell him, hands off my things.

How Draco knew of his crush on Professor Snape he didn't know.

"Today we'll be practising wordless spells." Snape said. "Mr Potter, you'll be practising with Mr Malfoy."

Draco had his wand out.

"What exactly is your relationship with Snape?" He bit out.

"What's it to you, you fancy him or something?" Harry retorted. "How scandalous."

Draco flushed.

"So what if I do?" He said. Harry noted he suddenly looked rather smug. "It's not like he'll love you anyway. I think I have a better chance as any. At least I'm his favourite student."

Irritation began to well up in Harry's gut and a bit of disappointment crept in. The whole reason why he hadn't pursued the whole idea anyway was simply for the sheer certainty that Snape was going to reject him and possibly expel him from the school for his unwanted affections.

'The sad thing is he's probably absolutely right. There is no way he'd even consider someone like me but I can't let Malfoy win.'

'Expelliarmus.' He thought mentally.

A sweep of a large yellow light hit Harry in the face knocking him off his feet with a burst of white, red before there was black.

"What did you do to him, Mr Malfoy?" Snape asked as he stood before Harry Potter who was lying unconscious.

"Nothing." Draco swallowed though Snape was quick to notice the red flush on his cheeks.

"Nothing, Mr Malfoy." The man muttered softly. "It looks alot like you used an extrasensory hex. You might has well have cast the cruciatus curse."

The extrasensory hex was a lot like the cruciatus eliciting an intense mental burst of pain but without the tremors that came in wrecking havoc on the victim's psyche.

Draco paled.

"Mr Weasley, send Mr Potter to the Hospital Wing." Snape told Ron who had been in the middle of dueling with Blaise Zabini.

Ron approached his unconscious friend and helped him into the hospital wing.

When he awoke up though, Ron was quick to observe the melancholy expression on his face.

"What's wrong with you?" He asked softly as if he was a piece of glass that would shatter if his friend didn't say the right words.

"It's nothing."

"It was that git, Malfoy. He said something didn't he?"

"He fancies Snape."

"What?" Ron sputtered, his eyes widening in shock. "What did you tell him?"

It had been no surprise to Ron when Harry had finally opened up to him in concerns about his feelings for Snape. The general prospect of romance had been discussed last year after Harry had been dating Cynthia, who happened to be a centaur whose tribe had been visiting Bane's clan for a while. She had long since gone traveling visiting other clans from other regions after breaking up with Harry.

Some of his peers hadn't exactly been too kind to him knowing that he was dating a woman from the centaurs. Harry had been quite depressed after the two had broken up and he hadn't quite understood what he had done wrong.

He had thought it strange and awkward to begin with and had thought Cynthia would have been better without him because a romance between a centaur and a human just wasn't logical. It couldn't be logical.

"It can't be logical? What kind of horseradish is that?" Ron snapped at him a week after their breakup.

"Stuff like that isn't normal."

"Since when has that mattered to you?"

"It always has." Harry said as if the answer was obvious. "I mean I know about Hagrid's parents and I know his father was a muggle and his mother was a giant but can you honestly wrap your head around the fact that they've possibly had to do 'that' in order to have Hagrid. It just sounds disgusting to me. I didn't say anything about it because I like Hagrid."

"So what you're trying to tell me is your relationship with Cynthia was nothing. You're trying to tell me it meant nothing." Ron said in a dangerously low voice.

"Things like that...I just don't understand. I mean how can your...world support this? How can your world not think it's strange. It's hard to grasp things. Oliver and Flint kiss in the corridors as if it's the most normal thing, and Fleur and Bill are going to get married never mind the fact that their children are probably going to be teased for the rest of their lives."

"How can you say that?" He inquired angrily. "If you love someone Harry, it shouldn't matter what race, or gender they are."

"I guess so." Harry replied numbly.

"Harry," Ron said. "It's okay to be different. It's okay to stand out. I mean think about it this way, even if they do scorn us whose to stop us from whatever we want. If we dared you could dress up as Batman and I could be Robin. You know the one who wears the spandex and then I could be all like: "MWAHAHA WHO WEARS THE SPANDEX NOW?"

Harry coughed through his mouth.

"Harry, are you alright?" Ron asked in concern. "Maybe I got it all wrong maybe it was Batman who wore the spandex."

Then just as suddenly Harry ruptured in laughter.

Ron patted him on the back. "You can let it out."

It was not long after that Harry began his own fill of questions.

"So I'm guessing you've liked someone from another species or are you gay?"

"That's partially right. I have crushed on an elf before, I'd say that I'm more pansexual than gay though."

Harry looked down in his lap, thinking now just brought forth horrible memories. He didn't want to think about Cynthia anymore.

"I didn't tell him anything." He said bitterly. "He cursed me before I could utter a word."

"Why does it bother you? You think Snape would really find interest in a peon like him?"

Harry sighed.

"You do don't you? If it bothers you so badly why don't you confess your feeling to him?"

"Are you crazy?" Harry asked, facing with madness in his eyes.

"Are you afraid of rejection? How will you know unless you try?"

Harry turned away.

"Look I don't think you have anything to worry about. I have a suspicion that Malfoy isn't exactly the professor's type."

"If you say so." Harry replied not looking the least bit convinced.

HPSS

That evening heeding Ron's advice, Harry donned the invisibility cloak over his head, snuck out the Gryffindor Common Room and headed to the dungeons.

The journey was treacherous and Harry thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't caught by Filch as his cat did it's best to give him a heap of jump scares from time to time.

Finally Harry arrived outside Snape's office and knocked on the door. In minutes it was hastily opened by Snape whose hair looked unkempt and disheveled.

"Potter! You imbecile what are you doing down here out after curfew."

"Um, uh I-"

Harry looked at his shoes as though they were the most interesting things in the world.

"Well spit it out, Potter. I don't have all day and I'm sure the headmaster would love to hear why his golden boy is out after curfew." Snape added with a malicious sneer.

"It's just that..."said Harry who looked to be at a loss for words.

"Potter, I don't have time for this and can tolerate no more of your antics."

"I...I love you." Harry stammered

Severus Snape was momentarily taken aback before a mask of repulsion took over his features.

"Get out, boy. " Snape replied looking quite repulsed. "And Potter, I'll be informing McGonagall that you were out past curfew."

A sharp pain in his chest became unbearable and Harry gritted his teeth. He wasn't going to cry, he wouldn't give Snape the satisfaction. As he was walking away from Snape's office he waited until he was out of the older man's sight before his shoulders fell into a slouch and Harry slowly made his way to the Room of Requirement not giving a crap whether he got caught or not.

Truthfully he would welcome it, to get rid of the pain in his chest. He didn't want to stay at Hogwarts any longer. If he could, Harry would even stay at the Dursleys. Anything to not come face to face with Snape in his class.

The door to the Room of Requirement appeared and Harry stepped inside. The sight of a bed appeared against a wall in the room and Harry collapsed upon the bed crying his lungs out.

HPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHPHP

The next day Harry got up. He knew that leaving now he'd have to face Snape in the Great Hall while he stopped by to eat breakfast.

'How can I face him after that-after I-He must think I'm so pathetic. I feel so pathetic. I shouldn't have told him.' Harry thought.

Harry contemplated staying there for the remainder of the day.

'I can't remain here forever. Well-I could but if I don't go out there, the only thing I'll prove is that I'm a coward and I can't give Snape or Malfoy the satisfaction that they've got to me.'

Now that he was thinking about it more thoroughly, Snape never did give him an answer and Harry couldn't help but wonder if it was because he was dating Malfoy or if he had another lover that Harry knew nothing about. Struck with curiosity, Harry was determined to discover the answer. He wasn't eager to accept that Snape wanted nothing to do with him.

With a newfound determination, Harry prepared himself. If he was going to face Snape, Harry would face him like a man.

As Harry exited the Room of Requirement making his way towards the Gryffindor Common Room, he crashed into something.

Someone startled, and there was a bunch of moaning and groaning as Harry saw six legs poking out from nothingness.

It was an invisibility cloak but the only person who knew about it was Ron and Hermione.

Suspicious, Harry reached to remove the invisibility cloak, thinking that Draco and his cronies might have taken it.

Who he saw instead made him stumble back several feet. There in a messy pile stood a young version of his father, his godfather, and Peter Pettigrew.

"Who?" Harry stammered puzzled by the inhabitants before him.

James Potter got up and brushed the dirt off his trousers.

"Are you alright?" Harry asked the boy who was known as his father.

Sirius was next to get up.

"Are you alright, Prongs?" Sirius asked his best mate, but James wasn't paying any attention to what his friend was saying.

Instead James looked directly at Harry Potter startled to say the least.

"Who are you?" He asked.

Harry was paralysed with no ability to speak. What should he say? There was no way he was truly in the marauder's era and if he was? What if he created a time paradox if there wasn't one in development already?

Doing the only thing he could think of, Harry turned on his feet and ran. He concealed himself within the Great Hall waiting for the students to gather around the four tables.

Harry then sneaked over to check for a seat in either Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw. When he could not find a seat, Harry had to contemplate his last two options.

He could sit at Gryffindor but there was a slight chance he might run into his father again or he could sit at the Slytherin table and risk having an encounter with one of his archenemies.

Harry transfigured his clothing to a Slytherin uniform and took a seat at their table as it dawned on him that he might encounter Severus Snape in this timeline.

Immediately after he took his seat however, Harry had a feeling he was being scrutinised by everyone around him. The scrutiny unnerved him.

He looked around hoping to spot someone familiar but he could find no one. Harry quickly finished his food and made his way to potion's class bumping in to someone along the way.

"Watch where you're going." A female voice snapped at him.

Harry didn't turn back, the voice reminded him too much of Hermione. Even with her gone it didn't stop her from appearing in his mind every now and then whenever he made a crucial decision.

Once he arrived in the dungeons, he took a seat in the back of the room not wanting to draw attention to himself. Just then he spotted the marauders coming in. James and Sirius both seemed to have a grin of satisfaction on their faces. Ducking Harry hid his head under the table looking at their shoes as they passed him by.

The classroom was noisy momentarily before it died down with the appearance of the potions professor.

Harry wearily looked up a bit to stare up at the potions professor, an old man with a rather round stomach. He had never seen the seen the man before.

"Mr. Rosier, would you mind telling me where Mr. Snape, Mr. Muliciber and Mr. Avery are at?"

"They'll be running a little bit late, Professor,"

Harry turned to look at his father, who was staring at someone behind him.

A burst of excitement jolted through his veins when he saw his mother's dark red hair.

With a newfound ambition to get the potion done, Harry was about to set off to work when he felt a warm touch graze his shoulder.

Harry turned and spotted a middle aged woman with short black hair that hung in waves.

"Do you happen to need a new cauldron?" She asked quietly.

How the woman knew that, Harry would have never known. Apparently she was an assistant to the potions professor for today.

Harry nodded his head and the woman returned with an empty cauldron.

Today the class was brewing the Draught of Living Death.

He quickly gathered the potion ingredients and set off to work.

Towards the middle of potions class wrapped up in his potions, Harry heard the sound of the doors behind him faintly opening.

Someone poked him on the shoulder.

"You're sitting in my seat." A scratchy voice said distastefully.

At the sound of the voice, tremors scalped through his veins as Harry slowly turned around to face Severus Snape.

There was a look of surprise as Snape looked upon Harry but it was gone and replaced with a mood that forbid anyone who didn't want to risk their lives to cross it.

Harry moved knowing Snape's moods well-enough, so he had room to set down.

Snape looked at him with curiosity and surprise. His friends Muliciber and Avery however didn't seem to find anything special in the boy and took their place beside Severus, pushing Harry in a corner without a cauldron.

Looking at the cauldron with distaste, Snape rose from his seat along with his sidekicks which Harry thought was to gather potions ingredients.

Harry carefully took his cauldron back and moved it to his corner where he continued to complete his potion.

When Snape looked down to where the cauldron had been, the etched lines of distaste disappeared to be replaced by shock and surprise. Then Snape did something unexpected, he grinned.

The two boys turned and shot Harry a sharp glare as they spotted the cauldron that was upon Snape's side.

Snape however was unphased and took out a cauldron of his own and set off to work as if he prided himself on doing his own work.

At the end of class as Harry tried to leave, the potion professor had stopped him before he had left.

"Mr...Mr..." the old man seemed to be trying to figure out his name. "You can't leave your cauldron on the desk, you must leave it in the back to stew."

Harry made his way to place his cauldron in the back. "By the way, have I seen you around, I can't seem to recall your name and you are clearly from my house."

The old man's eyes suddenly widened in a dawning comprehension.

"Miss Lestrange, have you seen this student on our campus before?"

"Yes professor, don't you recognise him. He's my son." The woman replied.

Harry was startled to say in the least his parents were dead and the woman she looked nothing like his mother and something just wasn't right with what she told him that.

"I don't recall ever seeing this boy at Hogwarts."

"Nonsense, Professor. You must be getting barmy at your old age. My son has been attending here since he was a first year."

"Perhaps you are right."

The woman winked at him.

"Don't worry, Horace I'll keep an eye on him."

Once the old man had left, the woman knelt in front of him.

"It's been a long time hasn't it, Harry."

Harry was in shock to see the warmth in her eyes. The woman slowly began to morph in front of his eyes. Black hair slowly turned to brown and the eyes began to light up in such a familiar fashion. It was eerily similar to a face he had seen before.

"Hermione?"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Harry's Story: January 15, 1995

It was one afternoon that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger found themselves outside Snape's classroom. The professor wanted to see Harry after he had talked back to him.

Earlier during class, Hermione had persistently told Harry not to start any trouble and keep his mouth shut but her friend blatantly refused.

Professor Snape had blatantly told him he was a waste of space and would never amount to anything great. Hermione had thought otherwise but it was apparent with the way Harry openly defied him at every turn that he hadn't wanted to expend the effort just to satisfy Snape and she was beginning to think that the potion master was right.

'It shouldn't be about who wins.' She thought irritably. Their rivalry was getting old and Hermione was sick and tired of it.

Earlier during the year, Harry had been chosen as a competitor in the tri-wizard tournament and the slytherins had given Harry no end of grief over it and Snape wasn't an exception.

Hermione hadn't exactly been oblivious to how malicious the man was being towards him. No one of competent instruction would have dared ask one of their students to ingest a potion with the intent of poisoning one of their students. She was beginning to think that Harry was right and that the man had in fact harboured a rather deep grudge towards his student. If it wasn't for that stupid interview...the man might have succeeded in getting his 'revenge'.

She had thought that Professor Snape was looking out for his best interests but with the rumours from Sirius about how the man was a former death eater working under you-know-who it was understandable how she was beginning to have her doubts towards the man and sought proof though she dare not mention this to Harry and Ron.

The two weren't exactly righteous either.

Harry stepped out of the classroom sometime later.

"That man is insufferable." Harry said irritably.

"What did he do this time?" Ron asked.

"I have detention for the whole month."

"Serves you right, you know." Hermione said. "You shouldn't be expending your efforts in rebelling against him. It won't do you any good. You know he's doing this to get a rise out of you. If you didn't give into him for once you might even be able to become a better wizard than he is."

Harry fumed.

"Why are you defending him? You know he makes his duty to make me suffer. Are you trying to justify his actions?"

"I'm not trying to justify him at all." She said. "I'm just saying when have confrontations done you any good?"

"That isn't the point."

"Sirius said that Snape knew more spells than any seventh year student in his first year. How many spells do you know?"

Harry seemed to contemplate this and found himself irked at Hermione when he realised that outside the occasional unlocking spell and shielding charm he only knew how to sufficiently disarm and knockout opponents.

"If what you say about Snape is always true, if he's working for you-know-who wouldn't you think it'd be in your best interest to pay attention and actually learn something?"

"You're one to talk. Throughout these four years you hardly pitched in to help me. All you think about is which cute bloke to lay your eyes on? Then you sit around nagging how I'm not as good as you that I should listen to your advice..."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is. You can deny it all you want. You think that if I actually made an effort that none of this would have happened. Don't you see the only reason these things happen is because I'm alive? All these incidents that have occurred all occurred because of Voldemort. Voldemort wanted the philosopher's stone, Voldemort's diary caused those things to happen in our second year, and Sirius was sent to prison all because Pettigrew framed him for an attack and the rat works for Voldemort. It's all connected. If any professor of competent instruction had a decent amount of intelligence they would know that it was no coincidence that these things happen to occur." Harry explained. "You'd think they could handle the responsibility wouldn't you? You trusted them and they sit back passively waiting for something bad to happen and now you want me to tackle this world's problems? If defeating Voldemort only takes intelligence, skill and a little motivation then why don't you out there and kill Voldemort? You have it all don't you?"

Hermione looked scandalised.

He was honestly getting sick and tired of her persistent need in wanting him to solve the world's problems as if it were his responsibility. It was as if she were saying it was his fault if anything bad happened and it was a big slap in the face after he had tried to rescue Bartemus Crouch only to fail because Snape sought it fit to get his so called enjoyment out of seeing Harry suffer.

"Mate."

"Don't even try to defend her, Ron." Harry snarled.

Hermione stepped back slowly as if what she had witnessed had began to creep her out. It was as though she were talking to a stranger.

Suddenly Hermione took a step too far and a ghastly skeletal hand intruded from beneath her and pulled her in by ankles.

Hermione cried out.

"Ron, Harry something's got my ankle."

Harry and Ron lunged towards her grasping on her hands.

"Harry, hurry and fetch a professor."

Harry let go of Hermione's left hand giving it over to Ron and headed out to the Great Hall. His train of thought though was stopped at a crucial point.

He could go get Professor McGonagall but then there was the chance that he might not make it to them both in time. Professor Snape was closer and though the man wasn't reliable he was still a professor.

Harry ran back to the potions classroom and saw Snape behind his desk grading papers.

"Professor, come quick Hermione's in trouble."

"And why should I care, Potter?" Snape asked without looking up.

"She's being pulled into the ground, Professor."

Snape looked up with a sneer.

"I could care less."

Harry turned to head out of his office.

"Wait, Potter. I think you ought to be punished with the way you waltz in here demanding attention when I'm very busy." Snape said softly.

Harry opened the door and stepped out readily ignoring him. He didn't have time for this. As he headed back to where Ron and Hermione were. He saw that Hermione had nearly sunk in the floor. Only her hand and her head were peeking out from the floor.

"I can't hold on for much longer." Ron said looking very red in the face.

"Give me her hand." Harry said.

Ron relinquished her hand towards Harry.

Just then Ron caught sight of Snape who seemed to be running towards them.

"There's Snape."

Harry was suddenly struck by a force that pulled him down with Hermione.

"HERMIONE!" He called towards her.

Her eyes watered as she looked at him in fright.

"Potter, let her go." Snape said grabbing him around the waist.

"NO, HERMIONE!"

Eventually the force was too much and Hermione's hands slipped out of his own.

Harry sobbed and pulled away from him as he reached out for her. The floor closed up before Harry could reach for her.

"HERMIONE!"

"Enough Potter. She's gone."

Harry whirled around.

"No thanks to you." He snapped.

Snape looked at him coolly.

"Enough with the dramatics, we have to inform the headmaster. If the headmaster doesn't have a solution than you'll just have accept the chance that she'll never come back."

In a matter of seconds, his hand flew without prompting across Snape's face leaving a red mark.

Snape looked at Harry with surprise.

"How can you say that? How can you say she'll never return? I won't accept it. I won't accept it." Harry uttered defiantly.

Snape pointed his wand at Harry and the boy crumpled at his feet.

Ron looked at him in horror.

"She's gone isn't she?" He asked the potion master.

"I cannot say for certain." Snape said as he conjured a stretcher for the boy. "I'd suggest you not tell anyone else about this and head back to your common room."

Ron continued to watch as Snape set Harry onto the stretcher and conjured it to follow him.

No doubt taking Harry to the Hospital wing like a good teacher should.

HPSS

Ron stayed with Harry in the hospital wing thinking about what had transpired earlier. It had certainly been a surprise when those skeletal hands came from the ground to dragging her into that weird abyss.

His first thought was to blame Harry. If Harry hadn't said those mean things, if he had been a better friend but the thought was stupid. How could Ron place blame on Harry for such a stupid reason.

It's not like he pushed Hermione down that abyss. It's not as if Harry wanted to let her go.

Harry was better than that he wouldn't do such a cruel thing.

"Ugh." A groan came from the bed.

Ron turned and saw Harry waking up.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Snape knocked you out."

"That greasy git."

"Madam Pomfrey scolded him before she kicked him out of the hospital wing for being so rough with you."

Harry chuckled.

"Serves him right."

He looked around as though he were searching for Hermione.

"Where's-?"

Ron's eyes looked downward as though they were trying to focus on something, as if the subject was too painful.

"Hermione is really gone now isn't she?"

Ron nodded.

"Will you be alright by yourself? I'm kind of hungry for breakfast."

"Go, I'll be alright."

Ron smiled before heading out of the hospital wing.

Harry's face darkened as Ron had left the hospital wing. He needed to get out of here.

Quickly Harry got off the hospital bed and fetched his clothes getting promptly dressed before stepping outside. Luckily the hall was empty for the most part, Harry assumed that everyone had gone off to the Great Hall to eat breakfast.

Stealthily he crept in the shadows keeping a close eye on the halls watching for potential trouble before he finally made his way through the front door of the castle.

The forest looked rather welcoming right now. With all it's dangers no one would dare try to find him in there.

Harry ran to the forest and headed deep into the forest continuing in such a way that he was sure to get lost.

He expended most of his energy treading through the forest for so long before he finally sat down on large rock that stood in the middle of two forking paths.

All he wanted to do was run away. He never wanted to shoulder the responsibilities of the whole world. He felt that Hermione's demise was his fault. If he hadn't insulted her, if he hadn't taken her for granted he probably would have enjoyed himself a lot more.

'Well at least if I wind up expelled, no one would be able to find me and take me back to the Dursleys.' Harry thought dimly.

Suddenly Harry heard a rustle in the trees and turned. Someone was here. Was it a professor?

Harry got up from his rock intending on hiding when...

"Oh, I thought someone was here." A lighthearted female voice said. "I shouldn't second guess my self though in retrospect it would seem exceedingly foolish if a student came here in an act of defiance against the people looking out for his best interests."

Harry turned and saw it was a female centaur around his age. She had long dirty red hair and brown eyes and hardly wore any clothes outside the small animal hide that covered her bosom.

"Who are you?" He asked.

"Me? I'm Cynthia."

"I assume you are a part of Firenze's clan?"

Cynthia shook her head.

"Are you lost?" She asked.

"No."

"You look lost to me. Bane won't take it too kindly if you intrude in the forest."

"What makes you so certain that wasn't the intention?"

"You want to die?" Cynthia asked as though she didn't think that the thought would have crossed his mind.

"I'm up for anything right now."

"You're an idiot."

"What are you doing here in the forest?" Harry inquired defensively. "You don't look to be in the company of any other centaurs."

"My family travels a lot. We're more free-spirited than anything. So I don't really have a 'clan' that tells me what to do. You on the other hand..."

Harry scoffed.

"Why are you even here in the first place?" She asked.

Under normal circumstances, Harry would have stubbornly kept silent. How dare this girl ask him such a question as if he hadn't acquired some right to be in this forest? He wasn't his mother.

He sighed.

"I was just trying to get away from it all."

That seemed to be enough to satisfy her as her expression morphed into that of a relatable sympathy.

"What happened?"

"Do you ever feel as though the whole world is resting on your shoulders?" He asked her.

"No, but then again you'd know I wouldn't possibly be alive if I lifted over 1,000 trillion tonnes on my back."

Harry snickered.

Cynthia smiled.

"When you put it that way, my problems seem rather pathetic."

Suddenly Harry could hear someone coming from the shrubbery.

"Hey Mate."

Harry turned and saw Ron had come up from behind the shrubbery.

"Ah there you are. We were looking everywhere. I didn't know where you had gone."

"We?" Harry asked.

"So this is where you were at, Potter."

Snape appeared behind Ron, looking as though he'd rather be somewhere else.

"Wait, why is Ron here? I thought students weren't allowed in the Forbidden Forest."

"They're not." said Snape, his eyebrows twitching looking to be on the brink of an outburst.

"Then why is he here?"

"He happened to drop by my office after you had apparently disappeared from your bed."

"I have doubts that you were very concerned."

"I believe you know me better than that, Potter. It's quite an inconvenience having to retrieve your sorry hide."

"I didn't ask you to." Harry snapped. "I would have been fine remaining in the forest alone. Feel free to ask for my expulsion if you feel so inclined. It's not going to matter anyway."

Snape lunged for him grabbing him by the collar of his robes.

"You're making a scene. I don't appreciate the efforts you put in creating trouble for everyone."

Harry snorted.

"How did I create trouble? I didn't ask you to look for me."

Snape snarled before he pivoted on his heel more than likely fuming at the boy's antics.

"Who's the girl with you?" Ron asked leering at the female centaur.

"Her name's Cynthia." Harry replied through gritted teeth still furious at the other man's nerve.

"A hot girl too. You better not let that one escape." said Ron, winking at Harry.

Harry turned to glance at Cynthia. It seemed however that her focus was solely on the greasy haired man behind him.

"Come along, Potter. The headmaster wants to see you." Snape said dragging him along before he could utter another word.

As he was dragged away his eyes caught hers and their gazes didn't part until he was safely inside the castle. He was certain to case his eyes towards the ground because he knew if he looked up to face the man, he would inevitably snap.

How dare he step up as a proper adult figure when his life was in danger but neglect to offer a hand to save Hermione when she was in danger.

The man was a selfish git. 'Always looking out for his own interests.' Harry thought. 'After all he wouldn't want to tell Dumbledore it was his fault if I vanished off the face of the planet.'

As the three stepped foot into Dumbledore's office, the headmaster motioned them to take a seat in the front of his desk.

"I'm at the end of my rope. Potter has tried my patience for the last time." Snape snarled.

Harry scoffed.

"What patience?"

"Harry." Dumbledore explained. "Professor Snape has only been looking out for your well-being."

"Could have fooled me," Harry said causing Snape to glare daggers at him. "I'd say he wants us all dead by the looks of it. If it wasn't for his stupid childish antics, he could have saved Hermione but he couldn't have that. If for one second he had actually done something for the sake of Harry Potter, there would be no way he'd be able to live with himself."

"Harry, I know you're upset."

"I'm beyond upset. I'm furious. Why did you hire the man? It's obvious the man abuses his power. He probably gets sexual arousal from knowing that he could tell us what to do and no one to stop him."

Snape turned red in the face.

"I wouldn't go so far as to say he gets aroused by it."

The potion master scowled.

"Oh I'll obtain pictures of it. Just you watch." Harry said gritting his teeth irritably, Hermione's disappearance had made it so even the most mellow face on Dumbledore couldn't calm him down.

"Harry does have a point." Ron said. "He barely tolerates his presence and he's even tried to poison him."

Dumbledore looked at the two with deep contemplation.

"Perhaps I might have misjudged the two of you. All of this time I always thought that you might get over your hatred of Harry, Severus. That the two of you would be amiable at most but it's impossible isn't it? I'm becoming inclined to believe that you weren't looking at anyone's best interests other than yourself. I'd have hoped you'd find in yourself to apologise but it's likely that you won't. Perhaps it would be best Severus, if you were to resign from your position."

"What?"

"Actually I must insist that you resign from your position. I believe the only way that any form of understanding could occur is for the two of you to get to know each other on equal terms."

"Headmaster, I must insist-"

"What about the tri-wizard tournament?" Harry asked. There was still the third task left of the tri-wizard tournament which would be left to determine the champion of the whole event.

"Yes, there is a matter of the tournament. I did keep that in mind. You will be competing of course in the last task but I can't stand by and allow you to continue to attend this school after breaking the school rules. It wouldn't be fair to the other students so I'm afraid you'll have to get your training in some other way."

Harry sighed.

"Training? You mean I don't have to stay with the Dursleys?"

"No, it probably wouldn't be in your best interests for you to remain there as long as you lack the skills of a competent wizard."

Snape snorted.

"Severus, I trust that after the tournament you'll take in the boy."

"Absolutely not."

Dumbledore narrowed his blue eyes at him peering at him slyly.

"Then I trust you'll allow me to come clean about certain events that you've wanted me to keep...secret?"

Snape paled.

"It doesn't matter, it's not like his relatives are going to agree with this anyhow." He said.

"You'll be amazed what a little persuasion can do."

"I assume that you'll want me to teach him everything I know."

"That's right."

"Who will take over my position?" Snape asked in resignation.

"I'll have Slughorn take over your position temporarily."

"That frivolous camp?"

"Now now Severus don't be rude."

"Kind of hard not to." Snape muttered through gritted teeth.

"I'll hope that you take good care of the boy during his stay at your home."


	3. Chapter 3

Warnings: Mentions of Child Abuse.

Chapter 3. Hermione's Story: August 31,1958

Hermione gazed upon a dark disheveled manor made a stone with dried grass outside it's door. It was a dark and forboding place.

A man with black and grey hair approached her.

"Who are you and what are you doing on my property?" He said.

"I was teleported here."

"Teleported?"

"I suppose that's your place?"

The man looked at her lecherously, his eyes bright and Hermione imagined there to be drool coming from the side of his lips.

"Yes, why? Did you drop by this place because you needed someplace to stay?"

"No not really."

"Do you have anywhere to go?"

"No, but I-"

"Well, come along then. You could stay with me and my family."

He opened the door of his manor and his wife immediately came in the picture. She had long dark hair and brown eyes, a stark contrast to her husband's blue eyes.

Hermione almost felt sorry for her with the way her husband seemed to lust after other women.

The woman glared at Hermione.

"What is she doing here?"

"She's staying here for a while you got a problem with that?"

"Who is this woman, Jacob? Is she a witch?"

"Yes, actually." Hermione replied calmly.

"What's your name?"

'Uh, oh.' Hermione thought nervously. She tried to think of names...anything that could pass her off as a pureblood. 'Malfoy, but what if they try to confirm it? Weasley, but with that name I might has well use by my old one. Potter? Wait that's it.'

"Um...er...it's Molly Potter"

The woman's eyes narrowed in her direction.

"You're a Potter, eh? Better that than a muggleborn I suppose." She said. "My sons will show you to your room. Rodolphus, Rabastan, can you two come down here please?"

Suddenly Hermione could hear a group of footsteps stomping down the stairs and two boys ran down stairs.

The eldest of the two boys stared at Hermione with utter curiousity and fascination but the younger one was more reclusive.

"What do you want, mum?"

"Can you show this young lady to one of the guest rooms?"

"Sure." The eldest said and turned to head back up the stairs. "Hurry up, Bastian."

The younger boy seemed to be struggling with his feet.

"Srow down, bwother."

Rabastan's feet collapsed under him.

Hermione couldn't help herself and she lunged forward to pull him to his feet.

"Thanks." The little boy murmured gratefully.

Hermione smiled as the two continued up the stairs and showed her to her room on the far left corner passing by a hall of portraits whose expressions varied from disdainful to great hatred.

After both of the boys had left, Hermione glanced around the room. It was surprisingly sparse only containing a wardrobe and a bed covered in scarlet satin.

She couldn't rest easily knowing that kind of man was lurking in the manor however and got out her wand to perform a complex ward one that was to inform her when anyone approached her room. Since she didn't know how to hone the wards to expel a specific person from her rooms she also said nasty spells that would trigger if someone attempted to open her door, a stinging hex, a spell that warded wizards and witches from her door and a furnicus hex and a heat sensing charm that triggered two poison laced daggers from the left and right direction of the door.

Only then was she comfortable enough to get some sleep.  
HPSS  
Weeks went by and during that time Hermione had been working at the Ministry, looking through the library searching for books on time travel.

Whenever she came home she was greeted by both Rodolphus and Rabastan who hadn't much to do outside of studying magic with the teachers that were paid to teach them.

"Where were you today? We finished our studies earlier today and we were bored." Rodolphus said.

"I had work." Hermione said.

"What do you do?" He asked curiously.

"I work at the Ministry. I've been doing some research."

"What were you researching?"

"Magic." Hermione replied curtly.

"You were gone for so long we thought you left."

"We missed you." Rabastan said.

Hermione knelt down before him.

"I missed you too." She said ruffling his hair. "Don't worry I'll never be gone for too long."

Rabastan smiled.

"Gwood. I want to marry you when you get older. Mum said that we can choose who we marry when we get older."

Hermione flushed. Was the boy serious?

For the rest of the week, Hermione found her research more often than not lead her on dead ends. With the most recent development however Hermione was fascinated by the method of time seams, a branch of magic that connected to moments in time together like glue. This branch of magic it seemed was very rarely seen in use and theoretically could only be used to mend a grandfather paradox. The idea was that the original universe and the altered universe could be mended if there were two pieces that connected.

If Voldemort had managed to kill Harry's parents prior to his birth in the original universe than if afterwards someone else managed to alter the time stream before Harry was born and make it so he survived before Voldemort killed him in an altered universe then the two time lines could theoretically be sewn together and two Harrys could exist.

It was a very complicated piece of magic but in all of her research she had never heard of any skeletal hand coming up from the ground and dragging a person through time. She was puzzled by what that thing was. Why did it drag her of all people?

One day, Jacob and his wife stopped her before heading out.

"I need you to do us a favour, Molly since you are staying here."

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

"I need you to watch the boys while we're gone. We have errands to run you see."

"It's fine." she said ignoring the intense scrutiny of his wife.

The two headed out leaving Hermione alone. The boy's teachers would be coming later in the afternoon and she treated them to keep a good eye on the boys while she did more research.

One evening when Hermione had come back after a long day, she noticed that only one of the boys had greeted her when she had got home.  
Rabastan looked a bit distraught about something.

"Where's Rodolphus?" Hermione asked.

"He's outside playing with the muggles next door." Rabastan said looking very distraught.

"What's got you so upset? Does your parents not allow you to play with them or something?"

Rabastan nodded.

"Well come along then. Let's retrieve your brother."

Rabastan followed Hermione as she went out in search of his brother.

Eventually Hermione caught sight of Rodolphus who was playing with one of the neighbor boys.

"There you are, Rodolphus." Rabastan said.

Rodolphus looked up, face flush and eyes wide in horror.

"You told her?!"

"I had to. What if mum and dad came home and seen you playing with the muggles?"

"I'm going home." said the neighbor boy.

"See you later, Chris." Rodolphus told him with a grin on his face.

When the boy had left, Rodolphus looked up at her with a pleading expression on his face.

"You won't tell my parents will you?"

Hermione found she couldn't resist his puppydog face.

"No, not this time." She said.

Rodolphus ran towards her, wrapping his arms around her waist in a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Molly."  
HPSS  
The next day the routine had continued as it had yesterday and Hermione was once again in the library doing some more research on time travel.

As she skimming through the books in the library she discovered a book that stood out from the rest. It was a big book that stuck out of the shelves. Hermione removed the book and skimmed through the pages finally stumbling on an interesting passage.

"All methods of time travel have been banned since around 1000 a.d. Only recently have unspeakables managed to get there hands on the acclaimed time turner that could not only travel back in time but forward in time and the device is only available to be used under close watch by the Ministry. The only way to travel through time without leaving a single trace of evidence is to borrow time from something else. Both the caster and the person in question must have a bond of some sorts for it to work or the effects of the spell not work."

Smiling in satisfaction Hermione was just about to close the book when she caught sight of another passage.

"Warning: If you should find yourself in a dangerous situation never...I repeat never try to cast any form of time magic or the events may be catastrophic. Doing so may result in you wiping out your entire existance or you may find yourself in a scenario equivalent to that of a neverending time loop where time repeats over and over again and you'll have no ability to stop it should this scenario occur."

Hermione sighed in defeat. Her only hope rested on whether or not she could get her hands on a time turner? There would be no way anyone intelligent would even bother issuing her one once they realised what she was going to do with it. The only option was borrowing someone's own time to travel forward in time. Problem was it required a close bond and Hermione hadn't the time or the effort to form a close bond with anyone besides Rodolphus and Rabastan but she couldn't steal their time. They were kids and they had their life ahead of them.

She returned later that night. It was with much regret as she returned to the sound of a fight going on between Jacob Lestrange and his eldest son, Rodolphus.

"What pray tell were you doing playing with the muggles next door?" He fumed, shaking Rodolphus back and forth.

"We were just playing, sir?"

"Was your brother involved?"

"No, it was just me. Leave Rabastan out of this."

"How many times do I have to tell you to leave those muggles alone?" Jacob inquired, voice deep and dark as an unlit cave.

"Why do we have to leave them alone? They act just like us." Rodolphus said. "So what if they can't use magic."

Rodolphus winced as the man's nails dug into his skin.

"I've had it up to here with your muggle loving ways."

Jacob dug into his robes to fish out his wand and pointed it at the boy.

"Stop leave my brother alone." Rabastan cried out before he ran straight to Hermione's arms.

Jacob released Rodolphus from his tight hold and he collapsed to the ground. The elder man lunged towards Rabastan much to Hermione's horror.

She released her grip off Rabastan's shoulders.

"Rabastan, look out." She cried out as his father lunged for him.

"Enough." Jacob's wife cried out. "I'll take care of Rodolphus. You don't need to punish Rabastan for what his brother did."

Jacob's anger seemed to fade away and Hermione was grateful to the woman. It did little to settle her unease when he left the manor.

Hermione treaded upstairs to where the woman was taking Rodolphus before knocking on the door of her room.

"Come in." A soft voice uttered on the other side of the door.

Hermione felt Rabastan's hand clasping her own. He must have caught up with her. She opened the door and stepped inside.

"So you've finally decided to show up." She said. "I don't believe I've introduced myself and you've been a guest at my home this entire time."

"That isn't necessary."

"It doesn't matter. If I find you unlikable or if I happen to have enough decency to like you, it's just a courtesy." She said. "My name is Irene. Under normal circumstances I would have been quite hasty in kicking you out of my home. It's no secret my husband has taken a liking to you and if the two of you haven't already shagged I'd miss my guess."

"I'm not interested in your husband and we haven't shagged at all."

Irene huffed.

"How disappointing."

"What do you intend to do with Rodolphus?"

"I fathom that the boy will be persistantly stubborn until the day of his death. Unless I can somehow cleanse him of his ideals I imagine it won't be too long until he snaps and winds up killing him."

"Killing him?!" Hermione asked. "He's your son."

"You don't think I know that. If I could stop his behavior I assure you I would have done it already."

Hermione sighed.

"I am curious though, there has been one thing I've been meaning to ask you about ever since our absence yesterday."

"What is it?"

"What are you really researching about?" Irene asked. Clearly the woman hadn't bought the fact that she had been researching magic. What did the woman have to fear? It was obvious that the family was apart of something rather shady.

"Magic." Hermione replied honestly. "What are you expecting me to say that I'm researching your family's shady background?"

Irene chuckled. It seems it was rather obvious now that the family had something to hide.

"It doesn't matter if there's not a thing I can do about it. So why would I dig into it, what would I have to gain?"

"I suspected you might have been a spy working for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement."

"No and I'm being honest about that. I honestly was teleported here." Hermione explained. "I was pulled here it seems from my own time. I was actually researching how to get back."

"What did you find out?" Irene asked.

"Not anything useful. I either have to obtain a time turner from the Ministry or use magic to borrow someone else's time to launch me forward in time. Unfortunately neither is a reasonable option."

Irene stroked her chin thoughtfully seeming to think something through.

She turned and glanced at her son.

"I may have an idea."

Rodolphus looked at the two women in fear.

"Relax Rodolphus, you know I'd never hurt you." Irene said. "I have a question to ask you."

Rodolphus nodded.

"I want you to answer honestly. How much do you trust this young lady?"

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Would you trust this woman with your life?"

Rodolphus nodded.

"Yes."

"You are aware that I can't protect you from him as long as you are residing in my home."

Rodolphus nodded.

"Your only chance of remaining unscathed may be to relinquish your time to Ms Potter for the time being."

"Is this the only way? How can you be sure that you can trust me?"

Irene smiled.

"You immediately thought there could be a different way therefore conveying the belief that you are very concerned for their welfare and I like that."

"What will you do after this?"

"What does the ritual entail?"

"If I remember correctly if the ritual goes as planned your son will be placed under an ageless sleep for a great deal of time. I'm uncertain for how long. If all goes according to plan it might not be for too long."

Rodolphus gulped.

"That's fine because Molly will wake me up again. Won't she?"

Hermione nodded.

"Molly, you're going to go?" Rabastan asked sadly. "I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too, Rabastan."

"You won't change your mind?"

"I can't. People are counting on me."

"If that's the case," Irene said. "It'd probably be safer to leave him with a friend of mine. The headmaster has always been quite considerate in regards to me and my family. So I'll leave him at Hogwarts until you return."

"Alright. Rodolphus I'll need to see your hand."

Rodolphus issued his hand and Hermione flicked her wand so that his arm was bleeding.

Hermione did the same to her own arm and made certain that he had some of his blood mingled with her own.

"Thank you." She said before turning towards Rabastan."Promise me that you'll protect your older brother. I want you to go visit him whenever you get the chance and never forget him."

"I won't." Rabastan said.

Irene set Rodolphus on the bed.

"Relax Rodolphus, it will be over soon."

With much concentration Hermione closed her eyes focusing on the magic required in the spell. Imaging that time was moving forward at a very fast rate. Speeding by her at the speed of light.

Her wand flicked through the sky in the shape of a star and a violet light appeared below her.

Right when she had finished the incantation of the spell, Jacob stepped inside looking furious.

"What are you doing?" He sputtered pointing his wand at her casting a disarming spell.

Hermione's eyes widened around the same time that Rodolphus crumpled to the bed and she vanished out of sight.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: February 18, 1975: The truth becomes clear

With reunions came long explanations as Harry began to scrutinise Hermione's body. She had grown a couple inches since he had last seen her. She almost looked...dare he say grown up.

"Hermione, is that really you?"

"Do you need proof because I can-"

"No, no, I believe it's you. Only you would want to prove to me."

Hermione frowned, looking very disappointed as if the very idea that she couldn't even prove herself to Harry was some big injustice.

"What are you doing here?" He asked curiously.

"I've been here for a little under 10 years." She said. "I was sent back in time."

Harry didn't look to surprise.

"You believe me?" She asked.

"No one can impersonate my father and his friends quite like they can."

"So you've seen them already."

"Yes, along with the rat."

"Why do you go by the name Lestrange? Don't you know that they're death eaters?"

"Death eaters? Maybe their father perhaps."

"What are you talking about?"

"I was living with the Lestranges for about a year and they had two sons, Rodolphus and Rabastan. I met them both, they were nice children."

"Nice children? The two are death eaters. They tortured me. How did you know they weren't deceiving you? They probably follow that same sticky pureblood regimen like the Blacks do."

"You weren't there. Rodolphus was friends with the nearby muggle neighbor and Rabastan looks up to him. He'd never stoop so low as to follow his 'father's path.' That man would have outright killed his sons if he thought he'd get away with it."

Harry didn't seem too convinced.

"After living with them for a year, I used an ancient magic to send myself forward through time borrowing Rodolphus's time to travel in the future and to make a long story short I married Rabastan Lestrange."

"You married Rabastan Lestrange?! How do you he's not going to become some death eater behind your back? From Snape's memories, he would had to have become a death eater sometime during his sixth year at Hogwarts because Snape told me he was attending his first year at the time, he seemed to make a statement of bragging about it."

"Bragging? That's not like Rabastan. It's not like him at all."

Harry stared at her strangely.

It was then that Hermione had come to a very horrifying conclusion. She turned pale, looking extremely horrified.

"Are you certain?"

"One hundred percent."

"This is not good."

Hermione got up on her feet and began pacing the classroom.

"What is it, Hermione?"

"You said in the future that Rabastan becomes a death eater yet the Rabastan I know wouldn't dare do such a thing and arrogant is the last word I'd use to describe Rabastan. Insecure maybe but never arrogant. If what you say is true, then I might have just altered the past."

"What do you mean?"

"I was teleported to the Lestranges. If I was never sent there it may have very well been fated that they grow up to be death eaters."

"Well, it could have been worse I suppose. I assume that Rabastan's older brother is still married to Bellatrix."

"He's single actually, last I heard from Irene she was actually removed from the Black family tree after marrying Voldemort. It seems traditions are still traditions in the wizarding world."

"I always thought she had a crush on Voldemort. Did you ever tell Rabastan about who you are?"

"He was surprisingly quite understanding. I think he suspected something when I fetched his older brother that day before I traveled forward in time."

"Are you going to tell him about me?"

"Do you want me to?"

"I don't know yet. It just seems a little farfetched to believe that the man is trustworthy after-."

"I know."

Harry couldn't help but think about what had happened earlier in potions class.

"Why did you tell that old man that I was your son?"

"You mean Professor Slughorn?" asked Hermione. "It's almost the end of the school year, it would be suspicious if a new student suddenly appeared with no explanation and everyone knows the Lestranges. If you wanted to, you could blend in with both Gryffindors or Slytherins if you so chose."

"I think it's pretty obvious which house I'm going to be in."

Hermione's eyes gleamed.

"I never told Horace how many sons I had." She said. "I could make up a brother at your expense if needed."

Harry thought long and hard about it. He was torn between seeing his mother and father for the first time or meeting Snape the man he had crushed on. Each had it's advantages and disadvantages.

If he expended his efforts in getting closer to Snape then perhaps he might learn a thing or two something that Snape had thought impossible. The disadvantage of this path though included dealing with the fragility of Snape's moods and the instability of his mind in general.

On the other hand remaining in Gryffindor, Harry would get to know his parents without living in fear of disastrous mood swings. The only disadvantage was keeping his identity a secret from the people he had known and loved ever since he was a baby.

"You'd be willing to fabricate another son if I wanted to be in Gryffindor?"

"Do you want to be in Gryffindor?"

"For now, though I'd really like to switch between the two. I've always wanted to see my parents but at the same time...it could serve to my advantage if I were to remain in Slytherin. I remember you've mentioned before that Snape was quite powerful. It would be nice to have him as an ally."

"I'm only quoting what Sirius said to you. You did say he knew more spells than a sixth year during his first year at Hogwarts. I think the whole switcheroo could work." She said. "The only way it would work though is if both of your identities took classes at different times and that would imply that you'd have to pose as a student from a different year. How old are you anyhow?"

"I'm in sixth year. You've been gone for about a year. Time tends to change people."

"Yes, of course. Snape however is a fourth year and since you were attending class with the rest of the Slytherins in a fourth year class, if you remain in Slytherin you will have to be a fourth year."

"Then I think this is very straight forward, when I turn into a Gryffindor then I'll attend sixth year classes."

"No, that won't work."

"Why not?"

"You said that I've been gone for about a year. You were ending your fourth year at Hogwarts at the time. If a year has passed you'd only be starting your sixth year. Since it's near the end of the school year what point would it be to attend the end of a sixth year class. You wouldn't be learning anything."

Figures Hermione would think of something like that.

"Fine, then I'll be a fifth year."

"Then there will be the matter over a glamour. I'll have to brew polyjuice potion, and then I could have Rabastan retrieve a random muggle child's hair."

"He can do that?"

"He works for the DMLE." Hermione explained. "You'll have to remain in Slytherin though until I acquire the hair and even after I acquire it if you run low on polyjuice potion don't hesitate to let me know. You have to give me a 24 hour notice before or I won't be able to brew it in time."

"Alright."

"What would you liked to be called?"

"While I'm in Slytherin call me, Harry." He said. If I intend on being friends with Snape I should at least be somewhat honest about my true identity. "While I'm in Gryffindor though, you can call me Arthur, you know after Ron's father."

Hermione nodded.

"Good luck."

HPSS

After Harry left the classroom, he ran straight into Professor Slughorn who was heading back towards his classroom.

"I trust that you are finished discussing things with your mother?"

Harry nodded.

"How did it go? She didn't scold you too badly, did she?"

Harry stammered.

"No, she just she just had some concerns that I might have let my... rivalry with my older brother get in the way of my potion making."

Harry sighed. He hoped that would be convincing enough for Slughorn, Hermione did say she would make up an older brother for his sake so he should be able to get by with what he had improvised.

"Ah, I see. Perhaps that is the reason your skills weren't at their best."

"Yes."

"Luckily you have the remainder of the weekend and the rest of the week to polish your skills."

It seemed Slughorn had a way of being modestly insulting without really intending to.

He walked on and Harry could only assume that there was no more classes for the remainder of the day and judging by a quick tempus spell it was lunch time.

Harry headed to the Great Hall intending on taking a seat with the Slytherins however he didn't think he'd be too welcome if he stole a seat next to Severus Snape...especially with Avery and Muliciber sitting on both sides of him. They were already holed up in a conversation anyway by the looks of it.

A tall boy stood isolated from the rest of them eating his lunch by himself. Harry joined him.

"Hello."

The boy looked up.

"Hello. I assume there is a reason you're sitting there."

"You look lonely."

"Don't we all."

"What's your name?"

"Rodolphus."

"Rodolphus Lestrange?"

Rodolphus nodded.

"I met up with your younger brother's wife?"

"You meet Molly?"

Harry assumed that the name was an alias that Hermione used.

"Yeah."

"Nice woman isn't she? Very loyal, she's lucky to have a man like him."

"Do you know anybody at this table?" Harry inquired impatiently, a bit miffed with the familiarity he used in describing his friend.

"Well outside the batch of fourth year students, not really anyone at all or perhaps you are looking forward to befriending someone in particular..." He asked with narrowed eyes.

"Not really anyone," Harry said gazing at Snape as he was in the middle of conversation with Avery and Muliciber.

"If you are intent on befriending Snape, you are doing it in a rather creepy fashion."

Harry turned away, his cheeks red.

"I'd say good luck with your quest though it might be rather taxing for someone like you. He doesn't really have friends and isn't a very popular person. Many people dislike him. You might even be teased for making friends with a person like that."

Harry knew all about it of course but he wisely said nothing.

"I know nothing I say will convince you otherwise so I'll give you advice. Should you decide to approach him at all, just be cautious whenever he is sitting next to Avery and Muliciber. Those two are not against hexing anyone just for the fun of it even Slytherins. I'd advise you to approach him when no one else is around, a good time would be around the evening or after lunch. Avery and Muliciber usually talk with Wilkes and Evan over in the common room at this time while Snape skulks around the Courtyard."

"Oh really?"

Rodolphus nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind." Harry said leaving Rodolphus to his meal before heading to the courtyard.

Peering from behind one of the stone columns in the courtyard, Harry caught a glance of Snape in the courtyard. Unlike the potion professor from his time, the boy looked very scrawny and his black eyes reminded Harry of Hagrid's black beetle eyes.

He wondered how those eyes had transformed into something so cold.

"What are you doing out here?"

Harry turned and saw his mother Lily Evans, a girl with dark red hair and emerald green eyes.

She was scrutinising him as though he were an interesting specimen not unlike the scrutiny Snape often gave him when he was staring at him...like he was nothing more than an insect.

Harry hated the scrutiny and wouldn't tolerate it from anyone. It flat out irked him, he wouldn't stand by why she examined him as if to decide he was something worth her scrutiny.

"It's not what it looks like." He retorted defensively.

"Uh huh." She said not looking the least bit convinced. "If I didn't know any better I'd say you were stalking Severus Snape."

"I wasn't stalking. I was waiting for the right moment to approach."

"What's your name anyhow? I don't recall ever seeing you at this school. Wait, you're that boy who ran into me earlier."

"I'm Harry."

"I don't recall ever hearing about a Harry in our year."

"Are you done staring?"

Lily seemed to have caught on to what Harry was saying and turned away with flush cheeks.

'What was that all about?' Harry wondered.

"Well, do you want me to introduce you to him?

Harry looked down at his shoes as if they were the most interesting things in the world.

"Sure."

Lily dragged Harry over with a newfound determination.

"Hey Sev."

Snape turned and caught sight of Lily who was dragging a boy along.

"Ah Lily. Who's that?"

"Him? This is Harry. He wanted to talk to you but he was a little shy."

Snape glanced at him and narrowed his eyes in disgust.

"It's times like these that I really wonder where your tastes lie. He holds an almost unnatural uncanny resemblance to Potter."

Harry glared at him defiantly.

"Well, you bear an uncanny resemblance to a certain despicable man that I've had the misfortune of knowing. Unfortunately it isn't as insulting considering that I liked the man and didn't hold a grudge that lasted over a lifetime."

Snape's eyes narrowed and he couldn't help but feel that the boy's words were directly insulting his character. What was he trying to say? That he was prone to anger. What gave this boy the right to address him with such familiarity?

"An inaccurate depiction wouldn't you say, Sev? After all you don't seem to be the type to hold grudges." Lily said.

Snape snorted inwardly. He barely tolerated her for who was she was to begin with. She was too idealistic at time and very naïve. What'd she expect from him, a person who didn't think or feel? It was as though she expected people to be 'good' and any sort of flaw was frowned upon. She was a very uptight woman who was often times was quite austere and very confrontational towards classmates who didn't follow the rules.

He wondered if she often had moments of insecurity. Was she often tempted into bad things? Was she repressed?

One of the things that had fascinated him most about her was the whole prospect of her character. Snape didn't know much about her outside a couple of meetings when they were living in Cokesworth. Any attempt at decent conversation was awkward for the most part as he had never knew quite what to say. She seemed to exert effort in avoiding his presence when she could and had seemed oddly repressed around him.

Even if her words had merit and the boy had just been issuing a compliment, Snape couldn't help but feel as though there was a veiled meaning in his words. The very fact that the boy made him thinking about it made him irritated.

Harry raised his left brow in response to the blatant irritation on the former Defence Master's face.

"Was there a purpose for your visit?"

"I wanted to be friends." Harry said.

Snape's eyes widened in surprise.

The boy was proposing some kind of alliance?

"What's the catch?"

"Catch? There is no catch. I don't see the problem you're good friends with Avery and Muliciber and they don't look to be a very trustworthy bunch, not to add insult to injury."

Lily grinned.

Snape felt his heart skip a beat as he glanced at her.

Harry felt his heart catch painfully as he saw Snape looking at Lily with a love sick gaze. He wasn't expecting the man to fall for him of course but the pain was there all the same.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Revelations: January 16, 1995

If Harry was doing one thing, he certainly wasn't sulking in the courtyard. Honestly he wasn't.

He was just slightly disappointed that the first thing that the headmaster cared to mention was how 'he' was interacting with Professor Snape. What purpose was he hoping to achieve by hiring him at to teach at the school and what kind of interaction was he hoping to achieve? He was outright delusional if he thought that Snape would treat him civilly.

The least he could expect from the potion master is regard him with neutral eyes but the grudge that he had held was so personal...he had made it personal. Harry could say without a doubt that if it wasn't in his way he would have made him miserable if it wasn't in the way of his ambitions.

Whatever his intentions were, it was quite obvious that it entailed a very crafty mind in piecing together a very manipulative plan and Dumbledore was either very gullible or very naïve to the harsh reality.

Hermione hadn't been mentioned at all as though she were as expendable as a man working for the army. It was oddly disturbing, how expendable they were. Time and time again, Mrs Weasley had constantly reminded them of their youth and Harry often found it easy to forget that he was a child in every muggle aspect of the word.

If they were kids why were him, his friends and potentially all of the students getting dragged into an 'adult' war?

Harry thought long and hard.

If this war was a blatantly obvious danger to kids attending the school, surely any muggle or any wizard tainted with muggle blood would have the sense to address their concerns with the school or remove their child from school.

They had no excuse because according to Fortesque, the Ministry often sent newspapers to any family that contained a witch or a wizard independent of the muggles living there.

He sincerely hoped that the Grangers would have addressed concerns about their daughter. Thinking about it though, it didn't seem likely. It was a rare thing to see anyone uncomfortable in his presence and no one dared push their point. He remembered a time where he felt it was fruitless to do so...that Dumbledore was just that stubborn. Not even Snape could change his mind and he mustered that Snape must have been somewhat powerful to have been a potion master.

Harry wondered if it was only inevitable. Was it destined for everyone just to forget about Hermione...forget about that missing student because he was beginning to harbour the feeling that Dumbledore couldn't have cared less and Harry couldn't accept that. He wouldn't accept that.

"Sulking again?"

Harry looked up and saw Cynthia who happened to be lurking near the stone pillars of the castle.

"How'd you get in here? The doors are warded."

"It's nothing that a centaur can't get through with enough time and effort." She said with a smile.

"What are you doing here?" Harry asked.

"I was doing a little exploring and...I admit I kind of wanted to see you again."

"We hardly know each other."

"Still the desire was there just the same." she said before her lips curled in a smile. "What are you upset about? You look conflicted about something."

Harry explained everything to her including his doubt about Dumbledore.

"What do you think about him?"

"I beg your pardon."

"Well, you suspect that he's been manipulating you for his own ends. How do you feel about that and how do you think of him? Do you think he's a good guy or do you think he's a bad guy?"

"He must have a good reason for doing it." Harry said.

"Why do you think that?"

"He's always listened to me whenever I confided in him."

"So that automatically makes him a good guy?" She asked, her fingers were poised underneath her chin as though she was struck with wonder.

What was she trying to get at?

"I mean whether or not it was to achieve good ends do you really think that justifies your existence? Do you really think your existence is worth that much? Just an expendable tool used for the greater good." Cynthia said. "You said it yourself. There are kids your age attending this school yet he seems to think that the few are expendable for the sake of the many. As it is any reasonable adult wouldn't stand by and let their kids attend a school if it meant the inevitable death of their children. How many lives do you think it would take for peace and by the time everyone you love is dead what is there to live for?"

Harry thought long and hard about it. He hated to admit but he had looked over it as though it was a minor flaw and had neglected to realise that Dumbledore in his own words was insulting him in the very manner that the Dursleys were.

Sure the Dursleys were a nasty bunch...their emotional and verbal abuse was jarring on his wellbeing but with the insults Harry never felt worthless. He instilled fear in them but at the same time the Dursleys never backed down from him, never ignored him when they could have ignored him so easily with the amount of times he had to have remained in that cupboard.

The Dursleys had been weary of Harry attending Hogwarts at the start but it hadn't been their decision from the start. If Harry had been aware that he was intending on being recruited as a soldier serving in a wizarding war, he wouldn't have even bothered joining.

At the time he was only just a kid, naïve and only thinking about how fun and refreshing it would be to join something that in theory would be new and exciting.

If he didn't accept he thought the Dursley would intentionally take his fun away. It was a better alternative considering that the alternative was to have his fun taken away.

People were always like that though...weren't they? So selfish always thinking about themselves never thinking about why rules were in place...so that they would never get hurt.

It would be kind of hard though sacrificing something good and fun for something dull and boring...it always was. So it would have been easier to lie to cover up the truth.

They were simply soldiers of war and as expendable as any adult soldier in a war. It didn't take a child to know that the lives lost never justified the results of war. With war came a toll...a price...human lives. With this war in particular there was no denying the emotion that came with the loss of human life because there was the chance that one of those people could very well be someone that Harry had loved.

So the answer was obvious...

"Nothing." He said. "There would be no purpose of living."

Unless I was only looking out for my best interests but that isn't an option. Harry wouldn't accept it as an option.

Cynthia smiled.

"Do you think there is a reasonable outcome for this war?"

"No, the sacrifices would be too much."

"Your headmaster seems awfully eager to dispose you like a soldier in his company."

"What are you getting at?"

"The man...the one who fetched you earlier. You know the one with the long black hair and pale complexion."

"You mean Snape?"

"From what I gather the relationship between the two of you isn't exactly amiable."

"How did y-?"

"I have what you call premonition, an ability to look into the future. Wizards like you would call us seers but our power isn't quite the same. A seer's ability is the ability to foretell danger. This ability though comes from their close relationship with an entity known as Fate. This same entity made a deal with witches and wizards towards the beginning of time. Fate said, 'It is fated that humanity will eventually fall due to it's own demise making it a race bent on war and destruction. If I were to give everyone my power the human race would no doubt perish under my own power. So I'll tell witches and wizards I'll tell them about their future...and by giving people these warnings I can only hope they learn from it and acquire wisdom.'"

So was that Fate who had told Harry about that prophesy during his third year. Was it her way of warning him of an event that could potentially pave way to his own destruction.

"Premonition is more of an ability to look forward in time so to speak. It isn't limited to one time stream though like that of a seer but more like looking at potential futures."

"If this is your ability you'd potentially know all possible outcomes of this universe so to speak."

"Not necessarily. Our tribe specifically picked centaurs from our pack to learn the ways of fate and time, training us to be time sages. The only thing is the skill is nothing that can be acquired through tapping into magical reserves. It was acquired through holes in time. We were taught how to tap into these powers if we were to acquire them."

"So you are a time sage?"

"Yes and with my abilities I managed to manipulate the time stream.

"How?"

"Our fates were never destined to intertwine but because we managed to meet, your fate can no longer be dictated."

"Dictated?"

"What exactly do you hate about Snape?"

Harry was thrown off guard from the question.

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you hate him?"

"He-He doesn't treat me with respect and he's pent up on some grudge against my father that happened over 20 years ago which he uses as an excuse to be all out nasty."

"Yet he seems to look out for you all the same."

"It's only because of Dumbledore." said Harry who sniffed distastefully.

"Perhaps but from his future it's apparent that he seems to hold a huge regard for people he's close to."

"You've seen his future?"

"It's closely intertwined with yours."

"Why does he work for Dumbledore? Does he work for the death eaters?"

"Would it matter? You don't seem all too upset that Dumbledore has set you up as a soldier to an unwinnable battle yet you're curious where Snape's loyalties lie. The man could be a good person and you'd still be searching for an excuse to hate him...just because he didn't stroke that ego of yours." Cynthia muttered distastefully.

Harry flushed.

"Go away." He said.

"No!" She spat defiantly. "Just because you can't face the truth."

Harry snarled.

"I said go away. I don't want to see you again."

Cynthia flinched and stepped back sensing the raging magic in the air. She seemed to realise the state that Harry was in and looked down, eyes furrowed looking very sad and ashamed.

"Alright." She said softly before she turned and galloped away.

HPSS

As Harry headed back he ran into Ron.

"Hey mate."

Harry readily ignored him. He felt if he talked to anyone he would explode.

"What's the matter?"

What was the matter with him? Did her words hit a little too close to him? Had he really been so judgmental?

Sure his top reason for hating Snape in the first place was because the man was an outright prick but the man had protected him...something Dumbledore could have done yet the headmaster hadn't done so. So why did he hate Snape so much? Was it because he looked so easy to hate or was it because the man didn't shower him with praise?

Harry thought he hated the praise that came with his fame. He had thought that he loathed it with every fiber of his being.

Yet he couldn't deny a part of himself craved for affection and craved for people to like him. Just the thought of it...it was just infuriating.

"Ron, do you think-" Harry stammered. "Do you think that I am a person who craves for attention?"

"Um-no." said Ron whose eyebrows had traveled north of his hairline. He seemed to be a little taken aback by the question.

"You can be honest you know? You don't have to hold back."

Ron's face reddened and he looked a little flustered.

"Yes, but it's not a bad thing. It's not like you crave all the attention...you don't like the bad press do you?"

"No but..."

"All it is...is their opinion in the end."

Opinion? Often times Harry took it to be more than that. Harry was often angered by it but why should it matter? If it was just their opinion why did it affect him so strongly? Surely he wasn't that weak.

Yet what he said he was and what he did were two different things. Even Hermione couldn't get by with her opinion without being snapped at by Harry. That girl always took a proactive step in making his life better for him and he just threw it back in her face. More often then not the criticism would have been useful yet his pride had got in the way.

Harry hated that. He wanted to make it up to Hermione somehow...he couldn't stand by and wait for something to happen. The adults in his life had proven that they were less than capable in looking out for anyone much less a school of students.

So with that thought in mind Harry visited the library that evening.

He was certain that the library would help him find answers to what had happened to Hermione. Before heading out, Harry checked to see if all his male classmates were asleep and fetched his invisibility cloak. Once he had done so he snuck out of the Gryffindor common room and headed towards the library.

For most of the night, Harry skimmed through the books eager to search for answers. At the first signs of morning he left the library eager to start looking again after classes.

Of course it wasn't exactly the most intelligent plan as the lack of sleep had caught up with him in a matter of a day however Harry wasn't so easily deterred.

Over a matter of weeks, Harry had managed to adjust to staying up for long hours of time without much fatigue but it was only inevitable with this time pent up on research that his relationship with his best friend had become distant.

Ron never asked, Harry figured he must have been trying to give him some space. It was alright with Harry if it meant more time to research what exactly had happened to his friend however it was only a matter of time before he snapped.

It had already been a matter of weeks of rummaging through books in the library and Harry still hadn't discovered anything useful. All this time the forbidden section of the library taunted him and he was tempted to look there. He was desperate and couldn't help but think if he rummaged through that library that he'd discover a quick and easy explanation even a plausible solution in bringing Hermione back.

He hadn't been caught before and now that he was more skilled...more prepared it should be a cinch.

Harry put down the book he had been holding and crept into the Forbidden section and looked through shelves and shelves of books until he spotted a very peculiar book that stuck out of the shelves, 'The Dark History of Hogwarts'.

He pulled it from the shelves and cast a silencing charm on the book in case it was a 'talkative' book. Harry opened the pages and skimmed through the book. Most of the pages were very wrinkled like it was submerged in water.

Something in particular caught his eye.

'Many know one of the Founders, Salazar Slytherin as the person responsible for creating the Chamber of Secrets, one of the places where he kept a basilisk for thousands of years. What many don't know is that the chamber was not created by Salazar but was created instead by Herpo the Foul who happened to be the trusted advisor of Queen Maeve who was headmaster of the only magical school in existence at the time.

Salazar's death has never been disclosed until quite recently. His body was found buried in a muggle graveyard among many muggles some of which were acclaimed witches and wizards. The words on his stone conveyed the amount of servitude he had issued to fellow muggleborn witches and wizards who were executed simply for possessing magic.

Due to this error in history books Salazar Slytherin with the creation of his house has harboured a nasty reputation for quite some time because of this not many books manage to convey the truth of the horrifying tale of the mysterious founder of Hogwarts or any of his brilliant creations.

He contributed in procuring the heart of the school taking great care in ensuring the safety of his students though it's worth noting that he still has his own share of mysteries. With his contribution to the school, many had been deemed missing and some had vanished. Students proclaimed to have seen a skeletal hand appearing out of the floor dragging some students under.'

Harry gazed down hoping for more information about it but was sorely disappointed until he managed to flip the page.

As he flipped the page it almost looked as though something was off. On the other side the page was flat as though it had been pasted after the book had been submerged in water. It almost looked as if it had been glued there.

His fingernails dug into the page looking for a loose corner and sure enough the page gave way. Harry carefully removed it and saw a potion recipe.

It was a very extensive recipe with ingredients Harry could never hope to acquire simply by dropping by an apothecary.

He swallowed. The only legitimate way he could acquire any of this was to raid Snape's stores. It didn't help that the man had already suspected him responsible of stealing potion ingredients as it was.

Harry sighed. It would be worth it though if he could save Hermione.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6. Promise: February 13, 1963

It had been 6 years since Molly had been living in their home and the only thing Rabastan could think about was her long bushy brown hair and brown eyes.

'She'd be a good mother.' He thought.

After Molly had left pretty much everything at the Lestrange home was the same. His mother however had gone to great lengths teaching Rabastan, Occlumency in case his father had tried anything.

Deep in his thoughts, Rabastan concealed many secrets. His father had wanted him to join the death eaters and had been training him.

The acts he was expected to conduct was enough to make a person vomit. His father had instructed him to kill small creatures at first but eventually he had instructed him to kill the house elf who had been serving his family for quite some time.

Rabastan had been rather close to that house elf. She had took care of him after his brother had gone to sleep.

Still the only thought in his mind was his self-preservation.

'I can't afford to rebel now. Mum says father is crazy. If I refuse he might just be crazy enough to kill me and I have to live. I have to live for Molly.'

So with every act of manslaughter Rabastan had dealt with it the best way he could. By distancing himself from his emotions it was easier to dish out the killing curse. It was not without a price however.

The boy had nightmares daily and Irene often dropped by his room in attempt to console him.

"I wish Molly were here."

"She'll be back Bastian. Have a little faith."

Sometimes he just wished his mother would leave his father. It seemed to be breaking her apart, the longer she was with him.

Apparently annulment was considered to be quite a disgraceful act in the wizarding world especially for the woman. The woman was always blamed for the crime...

He always harboured the wish that someone would stumble across them, that someone would rescue them from this torture but he had the feeling it was impossible. No one could possibly understand.

It was just minutes before midnight, when there was a knock at the door.

Rabastan ran downstairs but his mother was already at the door.

Outside their door stood a tall man with black hair and blue eyes.

"I take it you have a purpose for your visit?" She asked.

"I am Charlus Potter and I am an auror working for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. We have uncovered traces of unforgivable magic that was cast here and we know your husband was responsible."

"So then why don't you take him away?" Irene snapped irritably.

Charlus' eyes darted in surprise.

"You'd let me apprehend your husband in order to be put on trial in front of the Wizengamot?"

"Do I look to be in a state where I can refuse?"

His mother sounded very defeated. Charlus stepped into their manor searching the building.

Irene nudged Rabastan out the door.

"It's better that we remain out here, Bastian." She said. Rabastan could sense her worry as her fingers quivered along his back.

Finally Charlus stepped out with Jacob in his custody.

"You'll regret this, Irene." He snarled as Charlus all but pushed him outside.

"You leave my mother alone." Rabastan snarled.

"Quiet you." Charlus snapped at the prisoner. "I'll return after I've finished. I'd like to get your sides of the story if you don't mind."

Irene nodded and Rabastan followed her lead.

Charlus and Jacob vanished leaving Rabastan and his mother alone outside the manor.

Rabastan sighed with relief but it was short-lived the moment he heard a sob coming from his mother's direction.

"Mum? What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry Rabastan, for putting you through all of this. If only I hadn't been such a coward."

"You're not a coward, mum. You're very brave."

Irene smiled.

"Thank you, Rabastan."

HPSS

Not long after Charlus had apprehended Jacob Lestrange, the man had obtained both Irene and Rabastan's story of the events.

"You know we tend to stick together." Charlus said. "Even though we're distant cousins, it wouldn't feel right knowing that I left a fellow cousin to raise their child alone."

He patted Irene on the shoulder.

"Do you happen to have a sister named Molly?" Rabastan asked curiously.

Charlus looked puzzled.

"I don't have a sister."

"Do you have an aunt?"

"Yes, but none of them are named Molly."

"Are you sure?"

"Positive."

There was exactly no way that Molly had been lying about being a pureblood...the woman practically knew all about their traditions and she could use magic at her age. She had to have been quite young however there was no denying the possibility that she had lied in order to protect her true identity. From what he had gathered Molly was a time traveler from the future from the way she had addressed his mother yet it seems she had taken measures to keeping that a secret as well so it wasn't exactly a stretch that she could have been lying about being a pureblood.

Rabastan wondered how he felt about that. He had often heard that muggles or wizards with muggle parents were often very cruel people with many plotting out ways of killing them and that was why they remained concealed. Even his older brother who was friends with the neighboring muggles was always careful about keeping his wizarding lineage a secret, out of fear yet Molly had been very nice to them.

She had watched them when their parents had gone and she retrieved his brother when he had been playing with the next door neighbor. Had that all been a lie? It couldn't be...it was too genuine to be a lie. He didn't care if his emotions were fueling his decision, he didn't want to hate Molly.

"Mum."

Rabastan tugged on her arm sleeve.

"What is it, Rabastan?"

"Mum, can I talk to you for a second?" He asked softly. His tone was timid and somber.

"If you'll excuse me, Charlus. I have to talk with my son." Irene said turning to follow Rabastan as they headed towards his room.

Irene stepped into his room.

"Close the door."

Irene closed the door.

"Can you lock it and put up a silencing charm?"

Irene flicked her wand at the door behind her before pointing the wand straight into the air.

"Silencio."

"Any reason why you wanted to lock the door? Are you intending on telling me a secret you wish to keep from Mr Potter?" She asked and it sounded almost like she was enjoying herself as if the very thought had amused her.

Rabastan shook his head. He wouldn't be the object of her teasing.

"That's not it." He snapped.

Her eyes widened.

"Is Molly ever coming back?"

"That's not like you to be so cryptic, Bastian."

She clearly suspected that he had more to say.

"Please don't be angry with her, mum?"

"Why would I be angry unless you suspect something?"

Rabastan's face turned a red colour.

"Tsk, tsk, you should be more trusting. I think I have a pretty good idea of what she was from the start."

"So she is..."

"A muggleborn...yes. There are spells out there to confirm this. I had to know why she was keeping her identity a secret."

"You're fine with that?"

"Not at first...but she seems to be a good woman at heart." Irene said.

'It's not often I have something good to say about a muggleborn.' She thought. Never a compliment towards anyone unless they happened to be purebloods. If they were people like Molly among muggleborns perhaps they were people like that amongst various wizarding minorities: vampires, werewolves, any magical creature really.

"I wouldn't oppose your marriage if you wanted to marry her." She said. Irene wouldn't have found it possible but she thought his red cheeks turned even redder at the revelation.

Several weeks had gone by and Rabastan had been quite surprised overhearing his mum talking with Mr Potter.

"It's illegal to keep it a secret but some would say they were better off. Some of my close friends died after informing the Ministry of their condition."

"What kind of wizards work there? Lunatics?"

"I heard recently that they hired that Lupin guy. He seems pretty good and is very capable though I fear he's not a very sensitive person. That department needs more than a couple of competent hotshots who are so arrogant that they have to constantly compete over who could pick their nose the fastest." Charlus explained irritably. "You'd think the people working there were a little insane."

"What are you two talking about?"

"Your mum was thinking about getting a job at the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures."

"Isn't that dangerous?"

"We need the money, Rabastan. We can't rely on Mr Potter forever."

"That's alright." Charlus said with a grin. "What is family for?"

"Nonsense, I insist on working and paying my fair share." insisted Irene.

No one was aware of the consequences of those actions as the months had gone by.

HPSS

A whole year had passed when Irene came home one day.

"How was your day, mum?" Rabastan asked.

"I was talking with Lupin earlier today. He had some concerns about a couple of muggle children who had died under mysterious circumstances."

"Who killed them?"

"Lupin suspects it was Fenrir Greyback after the Ministry took him in for questioning."

"Is he a wizard?"

"He's a werewolf and he certainly looks the part. I don't think Greyback had anything to do with the deaths of those muggles however. If you saw his face...he genuinely seemed a little sad over their deaths." Irene said.

"What are you going to do?"

"I am going to get to the bottom of this."

"What were the circumstances behind their deaths?"

"What?"

"How did they die and where did they die?"

"I was told that they died around an abandoned manor. Their bodies were slaughtered and dismembered and their remains were smeared against the door in the front of the manor. It was almost as though they were torn apart by an animal."

"Anywhere specific?"

"Not really." She replied. No one had told her anything specific and she hadn't been curious enough to really ask. It wasn't often details like that were kept under wraps from the Ministry employees. The only two scenarios in which this could occur is if the employee was someone suspected of being directly involved with the crime or if the employee was directly related to the crime.

It was too much of a coincidence that 2 muggle bodies happened to be spattered on the door of an abandoned manor considering that her husband was relatively known as a violent pureblood supremist.

The next day, Irene showed up for work. She spotted Lupin hovering over her desk and pacing around her office anxiously.

"What is it, Lupin?"

"With what I said yesterday I can't help but think something bad is going to happen."

"You didn't exactly help matters with that big sentence of insults that you issued to Greyback. I believe the words that were expelled from your mouth was: 'soulless, evil, deserving nothing but death.' What if your son was a werewolf?"

"A person like you dishing out advice? How quaint. From the rumours I hear you weren't exactly opposed to that law allowing the deaths of house elves and your family actively participated in the harassment of the local muggles if memory serves."

"You can judge me all you want but I'm telling you to have a little faith in humanity. Perhaps the same could be said of some werewolves but surely not all werewolves are evil or soulless."

"How else would you explain their deaths?"

"Where did their deaths take place?"

"In front of that abandoned manor...you know that."

"Where was the manor?"

"Didn't you get the report?"

"I didn't receive the report but I have a theory. Perhaps that manor we specified is in fact my old manor and my husband is dealing out revenge."

"You told me he's in Azkaban."

"Did you check recently?" Irene asked. "The Ministry has been known to except bribes if it works to their advantage."

Lupin turned red.

"I'll talk with Greyback." Irene said. It had only been with her convincing that Greyback had remained in that cell that day before he transformed.

Once Irene had opened the door to his cell, she stepped inside.

Fenrir sat at the table in the room still wearing his disheveled clothes.

"When my pack hears about this, you and Lupin will be sorry."

"Listen here, Mr Greyback. At the moment I don't care if you are angry at me or Mr Lupin. What I care about right this minute is finding justice and I don't believe for a second that you killed those muggles." Irene said. "It'll only make you seem guilty should you seek revenge. The moment we find the killer I'll make it my obligation to see that Lupin apologises for any insults and I'll advise that you take it into consideration."

Fenrir grinned with his bright yellow teeth sticking out.

"I'd hope so."

The sound of the door opened behind her and Lupin stepped in the cell.

"You were right. About a week ago, your husband Jacob Lestrange was released from Azkaban. If your husband committed these murders his finger prints will have to be analysed by the DMLE. If we can connect him to the crime then Mr Greyback can go free."

Fenrir shook his head.

"No, no...you're not getting out of this that easily." He said.

"What do you mean?" Lupin asked.

"I find it insulting how easily you folk dish out your accusations and if you think for a second I'm going to accept you scumbag watching our backs like we're dirt at the bottom of your shoes you have another thing coming."

Lupin flushed.

"What do you want me to do about it?"

"I want you to promise me..."

"Promise me what?"

"That you protect my pack from the Ministry." Fenrir said. "You have a son right?"

"What's it to you?" Lupin inquired defensively. "I won't let you touch him."

"Why would I want to touch him now? He's a little young isn't he. Four years...nah, it'd be too soon. I want to mark your son and eventually take him as my mate. Then and only then will I know you keep your promise"

Lupin swallowed.

"Alright."

Not long after that proclamation, evidence had been found and Jacob Lestrange was thrown back into Azkaban and given the dementor's kiss.

Irene sighed, exhausted from the extensive work.

"Wow, I guess next time I shouldn't underestimate you."

"I wouldn't go so far as to take credit. It was my son." she said. "He asked me if he knew where the manor was and it hit me that most of the employees at the Ministry usually receive every single piece of evidence and all the details within. Then I worked it out from there."

"Still I wouldn't think wizards would go so far." Lupin said.

Irene wanted to pretend that news like that surprised her but it truly never did.

HPSS

The next time Hermione had woke up she had been a little bewildered by the sight of the dark and achoo...dusty room.

"Lumos."

A bright light lit up the room and Hermione glanced around it seemed wherever she had arrived the place more than likely had been abandoned for quite some time.

Where was she?

Hermione followed the light and left the room heading downstairs. The manor was more familiar now...it was the Lestrange manor.

Where was Irene and Rabastan?

Stepping outside the manor, Hermione looked around. The area was isolated for the most part. She wondered how she was ever going to reach them as Hermione had never been taught anything about apparating.

Hermione sighed. It was a pity she had no way of knowing whether their floo was still connected to the floo network or she would have traveled through their fireplace but considering that the manor was abandoned there was a high likelihood that there wasn't any floo powder in the first place.

She wished there was a way to travel into London. Hermione had heard from Harry about the time the Knight Bus had stopped by when he had been wanting to leave Privet Drive about a year ago. If she could find the Leaky Cauldron she might have an idea where they were at and what time she had teleported to.

Hermione wondered if the bus only came with the subconscious desire to leave the place you were actually at. She'd have to concentrate hard if she was expecting the Knight Bus to arrive as it was her only option at the moment.

Suddenly as though driving at the speed of light, a large blue bus appeared. Hermione could only assume it was the Knight Bus from the supernatural speed.

The driver stepped out and Hermione immediately felt at home.

"I assumed you wanted a drive. Where to my lady?"

"The Leaky Cauldron if you please." She said before stepping on to the bus.

"Have a seat." The driver said once he was back on the bus.

Hermione was surprised by the lack of adequate seating and was a little unnerved to discover that the bus housed decent sized beds. Did wizards often lounge on the bus?

Cautiously Hermione sat on one of the beds. She heard the driver starting the gas and just as suddenly the bus drove in high gear. The speed had such force behind it that Hermione and the rest of the beds were shoved in the back of the bus.

It was downright horrifying and within seconds the bus was in front of the leaky cauldron. Hermione stepped off the bus and headed into the Leaky Cauldron.

A young man stood behind the counter of the pub, Hermione could only assume that the man was Tom, the landlord Harry had been talking about.

"Can I help you, maam?"

"I am a little lost, I've was supposed to visit with the Lestranges but I wasn't able to find them at their old place."

"The Lestranges? Let's see. If I remember they were staying with the Potters last time I checked."

"The Potters?"

"The younger ones, Charlus and Dorea Potter. I can draw you a map if you like."

"Yes, please."

Tom fetched a napkin from one of the napkin dispensers and took out his wand drawing out the directions.

Hermione watched with awe as the map became more distinct.

"Thank you." she said before his lips curled into a heart-stopping grin.

Tom blushed, waving shyly in Hermione's direction but she was long gone.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7. February 18, 1975: Clearing the Air

After brief pleasantries, Lily invited Harry to each lunch with her and Snape in the courtyard.

"What'd they serve today?" Snape asked looking downward at the plate holding Lily's food.

"Spaghetti, salad and breadrolls." said Lily with a grin.

"Sounds delicious."

"It sounds repulsive." Snape said, his face looking a little green.

"Do you even eat?" Harry asked, looking at his stalky form rather curiously.

Snape folded his arms irritably.

"I eat." He snapped.

Harry snorted.

"Could have fooled me."

"It's so nice out here." Lily said looking very exuberant.

"I agree." Harry said. "It'd be nice if they could serve food outdoors every once in a while."

The very idea of looking at something so pleasant looking would clearly make the food look twice as delicious.

"Is that all you think about? There are better things to think about then the perfect location to eat your...food."

"Oh...you're right." Lily said.

Harry rolled his eyes. What a sucker. It was rather apparent that Lily's opinion was in complete disagreement to Snape's yet she was agreeing with him. What a sucker. If he didn't know any better he would say that she was intentionally stringing him on with those words...flattery as if she didn't dare disagree with the GREAT Severus Snape.

It was almost painful to compare this woman to the one that Dumbledore had told him so often about.

"Goody goody two shoes." He murmured.

"What was that?" She asked.

"Er...nothing." Harry stammered.

Snape appeared to be sitting basking in knowing that the two seemed to agree with him but Harry couldn't help but shatter his delusions.

"I'm sad to say that I have to disagree. In fact I believe it to be quite an important topic. It is quite probable that should you find yourself in Azkaban one day that the very prospect of where you eat your food will be quite important. Should you for example decide to eat scraps off the floor the end result might not be too pretty." Harry said. "It doesn't pay to be so narrow-minded."

Snape blushed.

"So I hope you'll enjoy the scenery while you still can. I'd hate to think of a future where you wither to the bone."

Snape narrowed his eyes and gave Harry a steely glare which he returned with equal fervor.

"Give it here."

"What?" Harry inquired with a combination of curiosity and irritation.

"Your plate of food, you fool."

"What, it's my food." He retorted irritably.

"If you don't comply, I can compile a list of hexes that will make your life miserable." Snape said with a cold voice laced with warning.

The deathly voice never failed in making Harry shiver with delight and he found himself filled to the brim with excitement. All the energy pumping into his veins from their verbal spats and Harry always found himself longing for more.

"Just try it."

Snape growled and lunged for his plate but not before Harry swiped it out of his reach causing them to fall backwards.

Harry felt his heart flutter...Snape's chest was as firm as he remembered.

"Feel free to take it...Severus." Harry said breathlessly.

Snape immediately pulled away and swiped the plate from Harry's hands.

He took the fork in his hand and began to devour the salad and spaghetti like a starved child.

"Hey don't eat it so fast. You don't want to get sick do you?"

The words did no good...if anything they only made Snape devour his food faster.

Harry snorted.

Snape always talked of how Harry always wore his emotions on his sleeve yet that man did the very same thing.

His presence had clearly irked the man.

"How'd you do that?" Lily asked.

Harry shrugged.

"It's a secret."

Snape glared at him.

Lily was puzzled by the mirth in his eyes.

In truth Harry didn't care to mention that he had relished in abusing Snape's own techniques against him. Snape hadn't been too thrilled when Harry had used it against him almost to the point of being outright angry.

"If you're going to waste time blurting out my weaknesses whenever you feel defensive you should always expected retaliation." Harry had told him.

At the time the two had reveled in their daily banters, the only thing occupying their time outside of training.

Harry sighed. He missed those days.

HPSS

After classes had finished for the day all the Gryffindors and Slytherins gathered in the Great Hall for dinner.

Harry reclaimed his seat across from Rodolphus, the only person in Slytherin house who had been somewhat amiable towards him.

Rodolphus caught him glancing at Snape.

"So how did it go?"

"Terrible."

Rodolphus looked up and saw Harry with a grin on his face.

"I take it that's a good thing?"

"Who knows."

An owl swooped in during the middle of dinner dropping a letter in front of Harry.

Harry opened the letter.

~Harry

'Can you meet me in the potion classroom after dinner?'

Molly'

Harry closed the letter and began picking at his food. He noticed Snape seemed to put quite an effort into making thorough care of his meal.

'I wonder if I made an impact? Nah, that's me being egotistical.' Harry thought.

Snape was independent. If the man considered any person's advice that would be considered cowardly in his opinion. Harry knew that much.

After dinner, he headed for the potion classroom.

"Hey Harry. I called you because it hit me, Horace told me the other day that he'd never seen the rooms so crowded. You can't just waltz in there like you own place."

"I could sleep in the Room of Requirement. Maybe then I'll wake up from this horrible nightmare."

"Room of what?"

"Room of Requirement. It's a hidden room, Dobby showed it to me."

"Really? You got to show it to me."

"Right now?"

"Of course, silly."

Hermione followed Harry out of the potions classroom over to the wall where the room of requirement was located. After Harry had taken the utmost care in following Dobby's directions, the two stared at the door that had appeared before them.

"You really weren't lying."

Harry opened the door and grabbing Hermione's arm he pulled her inside as if he was showing her the most exciting thing in the world.

Hermione looked around.

"It almost looks exactly like the Gryffindor common room." She said.

"The room has the ability to morph into a room of your utmost desire. If you wanted a place to sleep it would provide a place to sleep. If you wanted a place to study you'd have a place to study."

"Very innovative." She said "Wait."

Hermione knelt down in front of the bed that was placed beside the fireplace.

"This is your invisibility cloak isn't it?" She said picking up a silvery piece of cloth.

"Oh I completely forgot I had it."

Harry took the invisibility cloak from Hermione.

As if my magic it suddenly hit him that he had brought something else with him.

Harry rummaged through his pockets and pulled out a folded piece of paper.

"I still have it."

"What's that?"

"Just some notes I took."

Hermione saw that most of the paper was wrinkled and crumpled as if it had been in Harry's trousers for a long time.

He put the note back in his pocket for later.

"What were you talking about?" Hermione asked softly.

"I beg your pardon."

"Earlier you were talking about sleeping in here to escape from a nightmare."

"Hermione, I've spent over a year trying to look for you and now that I'm here I can't help but think this is some kind of dream."

"Well, I can't exactly assure you that it isn't." She said.

The smile on Hermione's face was sad.

"If this is real you don't have to worry now. We can finally go home."

"Harry, what are you talking about?"

"This room teleported me here."

Hermione looked to be at a loss for words.

"I...I don't know what to say." She said.

"Say you want to go back with me, Hermione. It isn't that hard."

Hermione looked troubled.

"I...I can't.

"What?"

"I can't if I leave now, Rabastan..."

"It wasn't a lie. You really do love him." Harry said distastefully.

"Harry, I can't go with you. I'm sorry."

Harry felt something in his gut. He had thought it was disappointment but with the way it burned in his gut and weighed heavily on his mind...

If Hermione was still alive why hadn't she bothered contacting him in the future. Something about it wasn't right.

"You'd stay here even if you died?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I just have a feeling if I leave you now...that you'll die here."

"I'm not changing my decision, Harry."

Harry scowled. He looked to be in deep contemplation.

"Then I guess the matter is simple. I'm staying here then."

"Why?"

"I have to make sure you're safe."

Hermione smiled.

"Good, it'd be a pity if my husband went through all that effort in obtaining that polyjuice potion for nothing."

Harry shuddered.

"You don't have to say it like that. What are we going to do about my room? I can't sleep in the Room of Requirement."

"Why? If this room is indeed a portal between two times there is a chance that you could return if you slept in here. It would be a nice experiment to try." Hermione said. "It would be less suspicious than showing up in the Slytherin dorms without any luggage. If you're still here tomorrow we're going shopping for new clothes and then afterwards we'll talk with Horace and see about getting yourself a room. It should be easy considering he was telling me about a scuffle between Muliciber and Rosier, a couple of days ago. He's probably thinking of having Muliciber rooming up with the fifth years."

"Sounds like a plan."

HPSS

After Hermione had left, Harry prepared for bed. He'd have quite a long day tomorrow and he was feeling a little tired as it was.

In a matter of minutes, Harry was out like a light.

The next morning, Harry received a knock on the door.

Cautiously Harry opened the door. Hermione was standing outside.

"You're still here." She pointed out.

Harry did not have much time to change so he had arrived to the door only wearing his pants.

"It would appear I am, yes."

She seemed to be surprised at seeing him again.

"So I guess it was only a one way portal."

"Lucky me."

"Are you ready to go? We might has well go shopping if you're already awake."

"Hold on a second."

After Harry was ready to go, he followed Hermione outside school grounds before apparating to Diagon Alley.

Most of their shopping was spent buying Harry some new clothes and getting him a fancy suitcase. After their shopping they stopped by the Leaky Cauldron.

"Why are we here?" He asked.

"Your room if it's meant to copy the Gryffindor Common Room that would imply that it also has a floo network. I'm wondering if we can get to your room without causing a scene."

"I see."

"Tom should let us floo directly to the Room of Requirement."

The floo was near the back towards the entrance of Diagon Alley and very inconspicuous not to mention very handy for flooing into a secret room.

After Hermione had received the floo powder the two flooed directly into the Room of Requirement.

Harry released his hold on his heavy suitcase.

"I think you got carried away, Hermione."

"It's just like shopping for my son. It wasn't much of a hassle."

"Thank you, Hermione."

"After you change we have to talk with Horace about rooming you with the Slytherins. I'll tell him you got into a scuffle with another Slytherin and had to sleep in the common room for a couple of days."

After changing into fresh new clothes, Harry followed Hermione down to Slughorn's office in the dungeons.

"You're looking very pleasant today, Mrs Lestrange." Horace said as Hermione had waltzed into his office with her son.

"Horace, I have a bit of a problem. My son managed to tell me that he has been kicked out of his bed and he really needs some place to sleep."

"I don't recall you mentioning anything about this earlier."

She turned and scowled at her son.

"He's only seen it fit to come clean about it after I was asking him about his day. You told me about the little fight between Muliciber and Rosier so I'm wondering if perhaps he could switch beds with Muliciber."

"Yes, yes. I'll have to conjure a bed for Muliciber too since you've said a Slytherin has bullied him out of his bed, yes?"

"Yes."

"It shouldn't be a problem. I'll talk with Muliciber later this afternoon."

"Thank you." Hermione said before shoving Harry out of Horace's office.

Once they were out of the dungeons, Harry let out a sigh of relief.

"That went better than expected."

"Horace is surprisingly quite docile compared to most slytherins you know." Hermione said with a smile. "I'll be looking forward to introducing you to Rabastan on Sunday."

From the entrance to the Great Hall on the first floor, the two went their separate ways.

As Harry headed back downstairs to the dungeons, his ears caught the sound of laughter coming from one of the classrooms on the side.

Harry figured it to be an empty classroom since there were none of the professors were teaching today.

As he crept closer to the noise, Harry opened the door where the noise was coming from.

Inside Harry caught sight of Snape and another Slytherin boy hovering over a white circle where small tiny stones were lined across it. In the middle of the circle were a bunch of tiny white circles and in the middle of the smallest circle was a black hole.

"What are you playing?" He asked.

"A game of Gobstones."

Harry was silent observing how they were playing the game, trying to determine whether or not it held his interests.

Ginny had told him of the extensive history of Snape's mother, Eileen Prince who had been the club captain of the Hogwarts' Gobstones club but Harry had never played Gobstones.

He had never been curious at the time.

Harry could deduce it was Snape's turn by the intense scrutiny that he gave the marbles as if he was trying to conclude the angle in which he should begin his attack.

With precise hand movements he flicked the marble. The marble seemed to have gone some distance before it landed outside of the hole.

He appeared to have all the yellow marbles while the Slytherin had the red marbles. All the yellow ones seemed more closer to the hole.

"Since the inner circle is four points. I have a total of 12 points. You have two marbles that are outside the circle which is minus 8 points and 3 points from gracing the two outer circles."

"You're very good at this game, Snape." The Slytherin said.

"When your mother is the club captain of the Gobstones Club it's to be expected."

"Can I play?" Harry asked. The game looked to be quite fun.

Snape looked at Harry with a strange curiosity present in his eyes.

"Evan, do you mind if Harry plays for a little while?" Snape asked.

Harry's eyes widened. It was the first time Snape had ever called him by his first name. He had to be dreaming.

"Fine with me." Evan said.

Evan scooted aside to make room for Harry.

"Snakepit? Classic? or Jack Stone?"

"What were you playing?" Harry whispered.

"Snakepit."

"I'll try Snakepit."

Snape grinned.

"You go first."

Harry flicked the first marble and it rolled passed the circle missing it entirely.

It seemed luck wasn't on his side as the rest of his marbles missed the circle completely.

"Not as skilled as you seem are you?"

"No, you're just better at these games than I am."

Harry looked up. It seemed that Snape was staring at him strangely as if he were confused by his behavior.

"What?" Harry asked unnerved by his scrutiny.

"I don't get you. Yesterday you were all about insulting my opinion."

"Yes, what about it?"

"Is this your attempt at flattery?"

"It's the honest truth. If you can only accept lies then why should it matter?"

Snape seemed even more confused by his statement.

"I did not insult you yesterday. The term you're looking for is 'deflating your ego' because you have a very big one." Harry said.

Much to Snape's ire, the boy grinned at him.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: February, 3, 1995: Forgiveness

Most of his weeks were invested in planning and preparation for obtaining the much needed ingredients from Snape's storage room.

It was two weeks and Harry was already exhausted. He headed outside to take a whiff of fresh air.

The breeze outside the castle was refreshing, Harry noted as he walked into the courtyard. He spotted what looked to be a brooding centaur pacing anxiously, looking a little lost.

As Harry drew closer he instantly recognised who is was. It was Cynthia.

"What are you doing here?"

Cynthia looked downcast. Harry wondered why.

He knew better than to think that the girl might have been upset because of him. She looked to be a rather strong woman and had accepted their parting on a bitter note.

"I'm sorry." She said softly. Harry could barely hear her. "I know I seem to sound a little presumptuous and perhaps a small part of me might have looked down on you but...for some reason I can't bear it knowing that you're angry with me."

Harry sighed.

"No, maybe your right when you say you're a little condescending but...maybe you're a little too hasty to be dishing out compliments." He said. "You're right. It's a major flaw of mine. I'll admit I may be quick to judge a person and it could possible that I might be wrong about a person occasionally..."

"but...?"

'She may be right about that but there is no convincing me that Snape is a good person.' Harry thought.

"I do think first impressions reflect a big aspect of a person's character. You'll never convince me that Snape is a good person."

"I didn't say he was." Cynthia admitted. "You're always so quick to place labels on people. It always black and white with you isn't it? A person can only be good or evil. Let me ask you something, Harry. Was there ever a time where you did something that anyone could describe as evil?"

"Nothing."

"Well let me tell you a story. In my tribe, we'd always travel from forest to forest. There was always this tall brutish girl who would always tease me in my clan. I was training around this time as well so it would be understandable that I would acquire some powers, right?"

Harry nodded.

"I always felt so depressed. I wanted revenge unfortunately the tribe forbids us from using our powers for our own desires. All centaurs who disobey the laws are alienated it's a rule our tribe had abided by but I thought wouldn't it be nice if she caught wind of what I was feeling. That empty feeling...that bitter taste in the mouth it would be quite easy to replicate it wouldn't it. I didn't care who got in the way as long as I got my revenge."

Cynthia said with excitement in her eyes.

"So I did. I used my magic against her. Unfortunately at the time I was unaware that she had lost all her magic during the training we went through. There's half a chance that a centaur will lose not only their magic but their sense of identity during our training. Her life force was fading away. When the elder caught wind of what I'd done...I was lucky to remain in the clan. He and my father kept it secret and said that she died because her magic was at it's limit however after that day I can't help but feel a little anxious, it's rather bittersweet constantly thinking that you had no soul yet a part of me at the time always felt what I did was justified. Would you agree?"

All Harry knew about her was from all three encounters with her. The time that they spent together wasn't much but Harry thought her question through.

The first time that Harry met her, she seemed like she had the talent to speak her mind without worrying about people talking bad about her. She had a cruel, condescending demeanor too by the looks of it. The second time that he saw her, she seemed to be rather thoughtful that day speaking her mind telling Harry how she really felt without conceiling the truth and when he had snapped at her she accepted it.

Not to mention that she happened to apologise today and she seemed to mean it. Harry could relate to her story at a deeper level, he had been teased by Dudley and Draco had made it a past time to insult his family whenever he had the chance so he knew all about teasing.

"I'd think you're justified for your actions."

"My actions were nothing less than murder. An accident but murder none the less. What would have happened if I let it continue...I mean it's obvious what such malicious intent would contribute to. No one of a sane mind is going to let a person get their revenge unscathed. The cycle continues and the hatred escalates and eventually it's no longer revenge...you want the person dead but neither one of you wants to stop...but it never stops until one of you is dead does it?" She said harshly.

It was clear that Cynthia seemed to hold many beliefs of a reknowned pacifist and Harry could see her point of view but at the same time it only cemented the cold hard truth.

War was not invented to serve the common man but rather to serve what man wanted out of society. Many wars throughout the years were centred on some political or economic agenda. It was inevitable that Harry would be considered a pawn in the grand scheme of things.

It was not a war of good and evil, it was a war representing two sides of a political agenda. Voldemort wanted the wizarding world to reign supreme over all muggles, exposing the wizarding world to the muggle world and Dumbledore wanted to smooth things over with Voldemort by suppressing his army and keeping him out of the affairs of the muggle world.

Harry figured this out solely from the fact he had hired Snape in the first place. Dumbledore didn't directly oppose Voldemort at all. It was sheer stupidity to drag out the war but Dumbledore had exerted all his efforts in suppressing something that was fruitlessly persistent and had manipulated Harry into fighting in this war. Every year he was always reminded of his dead parents and how his parents would be proud of him. It no longer mattered after all of his emotions were torn apart and pasted together forced to stick even though they no longer fit.

Harry hated it. It tarnished his impression of his parents and he couldn't help but feel he was being told lies that he was being betrayed by his mentor. Harry knew of his destiny what right and to what purpose did Dumbledore say those things? Did he hope to justify treating Harry like a pawn because he didn't mind being treated like a pawn. He wouldn't have minded if it was Dumbledore, the person who had been there for Harry as much as he could. It everything Dumbledore had told him was the truth.

"I get it." He said solemnly. "I'd rather not talk about this anymore."

"Why?"

"Don't you think it's a little depressing?"

Cynthia seemed to understand where he was coming from.

"Why would you think that? You're not the only one participating in a war. I imagine everyone has a purpose for participating in the war. You shouldn't think about the good people who might die but rather the people in general who will die fighting for their own cause."

"That would make anyone good when you look at it that way."

"That's the point."

So in other words in her own way, Cynthia had practically asked Harry to take a good look at the strengths of a person before passing down judgement and it had a favorable justification by the looks of it if Harry's past could provide any insight.

Harry sighed.

"I've been meaning to ask you by why did you feel the need to apologise in the first place. I don't understand why my opinion would matter in the slightest. You seem pretty well off by yourself, strong and independent."

"I like you, Harry."

Harry turned with a flushed face to look at her incredulously.

"What? How? We just met."

"I don't know...I just do." She muttered uncomfortably before kissing him shyly on the cheek.

The kiss invoked warm feelings within Harry and when she pulled away he instinctively pulled her into another kiss...on the lips.

It was a rather sweet kiss he thought as they pulled away. Still he couldn't help but think of Cho when he pulled away. Of course she had been a passing crush but Harry had always had the slight hope that they could date at some point. A part of him though couldn't help but feel it was a hopeless cause and that he should move on.

"That was..."

"Yeah."

"I better go..." She stammered. "I'll see you later, Harry."

Harry headed back inside feeling very giddy all of a sudden.

The kiss made him feel nice.

As he was heading back in the Gryffindor common room however a strange sound caught his ears.

It was the sound of gasps and moans and sounded as though it was coming from some place near by.

Harry crept through the corridor and nearly fell back in shock.

Ron had Seamus pinned against the wall. His lips devouring the taunting mouth with a hungry obsession.

Harry looked down curious to where his hands were lurking when he didn't seem them at his sides and that's when he seen where Seamus' shirt was riding up. He could see his slightly creamy chest in all of it's glory.

"Ron?"

Ron turned from his kiss looking a little flush in the face. Seamus appeared to be in a similar state.

"What were you two doing?" Harry asked, not certain if he even wanted to know. If he didn't know any better he'd say the two were lovers but wasn't Ron interested in Hermione?

Ron pulled away and Seamus' shirt almost looked untouched but Harry knew what he had seen.

"We were just talking." Ron replied. His voice seemed to exercise a certain amount of caution when addressing the issue.

He turned towards Seamus.

"I'll see you later, Seamus."

Seamus chuckled before running off. Harry assumed he was heading back to the Gryffindor Common room.

"What was that, Ron? Don't you dare tell me you two were just talking." Harry fumed.

Ron had the gall to look ashamed.

"Yeah so what. It's not as if we were doing anything bad."

Harry's face turned red.

"Don't you like Hermione? How can you betray her like that?" He spat.

Suddenly there was fury in Ron's eyes. Harry nearly stepped back from it's intensity.

"Of course I like Hermione. How could you say that? She was my friend, too." Ron snapped.

"You say that but it's almost like you're forgotten about her."

"What are you talking about?" Ron asked, looking very confused. "The way you talk about us it's as if you think we're lovers or something."

"...And you're not?"

"Hermione doesn't even see me as a romantic interest." He said bitterly. "I'd have accepted her if she had asked of course but our relationship is only platonic."

Was Ron oblivious to the obvious intent of Hermione's actions? She had went to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum to make him jealous. Even Ginny had told him that Hermione always had a tiny crush on Ron.

"I would have thought that you had forgot she was a girl with the way you act around her sometimes." Harry said.

Ron turned red with embarrassment.

"I thought she wanted nothing to do with me afterwards. I did ruin it for her."

"That's the huge understatement of the year." He snapped.

"Well you aren't exactly the most persistent man either. If I remember correctly you're the one that let Cho run off with Diggory. That's not even the worst part. You're not even bothering to prepare for the third task."

"So that's what you really feel." Harry said coolly.

Ron took a step back sensing the heated anger coming from Harry.

"Yeah, it is." He snapped with just as much fervor.

The two gave each other harsh glares before spliting their separate ways.

So pent up with rage at how immature his friend was acting he was only faintly aware of Professor McGonagall heading up the stairs from the ground floor when a hand reached out behind Harry and pulled him backward. Harry let out a sound between a shriek and a gasp.

It was rather dark here. In front of him he could both hear and see the door closing.

Who? Who dragged him in here and where was he?

HPSS

The air around him was dry and stuffy almost as though he were in a small area.

"Wh-?"

"Quiet Potter." A biting voice whispered in his ear.

Now that he thought about it he could almost feel someone pressed against his back. It seemed Professor Snape had dragged him into this closet for some reason.

It was quite sometime before Harry could utter another word and during this time he was more than certain that he was leaning against Snape as the heat radiating from his body enveloped the pores of his skin.

This position was quite an intimate one and gave a somewhat comforting feeling.

Among other things Harry could sense the fresh scent coming from the potion master and thanked all the wizarding gods that he wasn't stuck in a closet with some sweaty quidditch player because one thing he couldn't stand was the rotting odor of sweat.

In the distance Harry could hear the sound of heels clattering against the stone floors, drawing closer before fading away.

"Looks like she gone." Snape muttered.

"What's going on? Why did you drag me in here and why are we in a closet?" Harry snapped turned his head to stare at the man who had taken him captive.

"In any case you don't seem to find this arrangement very detestable." Snape said coolly.

"Why would you think, considering our reputation together that you'd want me for anyone to discover us in this predicament?"

Snape snorted. He must have some idea about the absurdity of their situation. Who would have thought Snape would be one to ask foolish questions.

"Could it be that you said something to cause Professor McGonagall to go around chasing you to the very ends of this castle?"

From the silence Harry could determine that the answer was yes.

"That still doesn't explain why you dragged me in here."

"If Minerva caught sight of you there was a slight chance that my hiding place would be compromised." He said. "Open the door. It should be safe to go now."

Harry's hands reached out, his palm wrapping around the door knob as he pushed the door in attempts of getting it open.

"Professor, the door is locked."

Suddenly Harry was shoved aside and pushed into the corner very forcefully as Snape attempted to open the door.

"Of all the foolish things."

His struggles to open the door however were fickle.

"Now you believe me?!" Harry asked, offended that the man thought so little of him.

Snape pulled away from the door but there wasn't much room to move and the two were already pressed together as it was.

Harry winced as Snape pressed his elbow in his side during the midst of their struggle.

"Stop struggling. You're hurting me."

"Poor Potter, you always feel the need to be pampered don't you? Just like your father."

Harry ignored him. Once Snape had stopped struggling Harry didn't dare edge him on further fearing that the professor might snap at him. If Harry knew one thing if Snape was angry there would be no stopping him from moving around after all it only took a single lunge and he could easily grab his collar and shake him senselessly.

"I'd guess so though you should always remember that you were the foolish one who dragged us in this closed space. Besides what did you say to make her angry with you?"

Harry could sense the grin on his face.

"I may have made a remark or two about her severe lack of faith in the students she's instructing after she had the profound idea that a woman of her calibre could relate to the students even better than I could. This is the same woman who outright demanded physical evidence to a student's claims of being bullied by someone from their own house."

Harry chuckled.

"What is it that you find so funny?" Snape inquired coolly.

"Very shameless but if there's one thing you're right about..."

Snape snarled.

"I've bailed you out many times Potter. If it wasn't for me, you'd be dead. Only you would be so ungrateful."

"You know I'm not afraid to call out for her and what would you do then?"

Snape snorted.

"PROFESSOR MCGON-"

"Quiet you."

Harry grinned smugly.

"Could it be that you're afraid of that outcome?"

"Nonsense."

Harry sighed.

"Well I hope you're happy because I don't think another professor is going to drop by very soon."

"Did you not think to use your wand?"

"What about you? You're trying to tell me the Great Severus Snape doesn't have a wand."

"Oh I have my wand. I have my wand in a very secure place."

There was a peculiar glee in the man's voice and Harry had some idea that the man was speaking a language entirely different from the one he already knew.

"Well then why don't you use it? In case it hasn't escaped your notice it's very dark in here."

All of a sudden he was pushed into the wall by a body which he could sense hovering over him.

Suddenly there was a distinct light coming from the wand in Snape's grasp.

The blue light brought out the dark shadows of Snape's face and he stared at Harry with as though he was planning something at his expense.

With the smug grin on his face it couldn't have been anything else.

"Satisfied, Potter?"

Harry was a little unnerved by his close proximity.

"You're too close." He snapped.

"Am I bothering you?" Snape asked clearly enjoying himself.

Harry pushed him away and rummaged through his robes digging out his wand.

"I'll cast my patronus then." He huffed, displeased by how unhelpful he was being. "Expecto Patronum."

A misty stag trotted out from Harry's wand. The light from the patronus lit up the room and from the corner of his eye, it seemed Professor Snape looked displeased about something.

He noted that his expression had grown darker over the extent of a couple of minutes and it seemed it had something to do with his patronus.

Harry sent the patronus off to Dumbledore. After the patronus had trotted off, the air around him grew uncomfortable as he began to sense that someone was staring at him.

He knew it was Snape trying to bait him though why the man would waste his time staring, Harry had no way of knowing.

"Professor? Is there a reason why you have been staring at me for the past 3 minutes?"

Suddenly in a matter of seconds, thin fingers traced his chin affectionately and suddenly dark black eyes were staring straight into his eyes.

A combination of curiousity and confusion seemed to take hold of the professor and without prompting Snape lunged, capturing Harry's lips with his own.

'Wait, what?' Harry thought. It suddenly hit him that Snape was kissing him. Immediately Harry pushed him away.

"What are you doing?" Harry snapped wiping his lips with the back of his hand. What did the man think he was doing kissing him on the lips like that? He had a lot of nerve.

Snape looked puzzled more than likely radiating off such innocence to save his own skin.

"What's wrong with you? Do you do this to all your students? Catch them off guard drag them into a dark location and snog them senseless?"

"I don't snog anyone thank you very much and what makes you think under any circumstances I'd want to kiss you anyhow?!" Snape snarled.

Harry folded his arms. He looked unimpressed.

"That's a little late considering the fact you kissed me." He said. "There has to be a law on sexual harrassment in the wizarding world...from what Hermione said they have marriage laws, slavery and racism so why wouldn't they have laws concerning sexual harrassment."

Snape growled.

"You have a lot of nerve considering the whole thing was an accident."

"Didn't look like it to me."

"That's your problem. You never listen."

"Fine, I'd like to hear your reasons if you say it was such an accident."

Snape turned away and Harry could see the blush on his cheeks. He looked slightly embarrassed.

"You looked like...almost similar...like a faint memory..." Snape said in deep thought. "My body moved on it's own...I can't really explain it."

'He looks like that man...I don't quite remember his name.' Snape thought angrily. 'He always had a new one.'

The other thing Snape didn't quite understand was his persistant desire in kissing that man. He had always found him quite irresistable and had felt a little strange after he had taken on the mission for the Ministry some time ago but it didn't explain that kiss...that he had given the boy.

Something about the kiss had invoked severe pain in the depths of his heart. It was almost as if he were betraying 'him'. Why? He had no way of knowing it wasn't as though he were ever romantically inclined towards the same gender.

"Harry! Severus!"

"We're in here." Harry called out.

In a matter of seconds the door was open.

"I hope you two weren't in here for too long." Dumbledore said.

"Not at all, headmaster." Snape said before trotting out.

"I beg to differ, considering you got the better half of the bargain."

"Severus?"

Snape turned in anger and embarrassment, his face a shade of red.

"You!"

His pointer finger jabbed straight into Harry's chest.

Harry simply stared at Snape smugly.

Dumbledore turned and saw Snape stammering as though he were at a loss for words.

"Why Severus, I've never seen you so flustered." Dumbledore said serenely.

Snape huffed, turning on his heel and bellowing away.

"Are you heading back to your common room, Harry?"

"Uh, oh yes, sir."

Dumbledore smiled standing in wait as Harry walked out and headed to back to his common room.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I'm assuming during this time that Dumbledore is not headmaster...

Chapter 9: September 1, 1965: Bullies

Hermione Granger found herself confused by the map in front of her. Normally she would have asked directions but everyone might has well have been strangers.

The Potters apparently lived to the north among the streets of London. There'd be no point in having the Knight Bus take her there since it was such a short walk.

Eventually she had passed by the London Kings Cross station and that was when she caught sight of two familiar figures heading inside.

Curious she followed them inside the train station.

The mysterious sight of platform nine and three quarters was still there between platforms 9 and 10. From a hidden corner she seen Irene and Rabastan who was pushing his cart.

In a matter of minutes, Rabastan ran towards the wall between platforms 9 and 10 vanishing out of sight.

Irene turned and saw Hermione.

"So you finally arrived." She said coolly.

Hermione nodded.

"I was beginning to think you'd never show up that you'd fall back on your word."

"This kind of magic was unstable to begin with. It'd be idealistic if it transported me to the place I needed to be."

"So you're still stranded here."

"Yes. I only just arrived earlier today at your old manor."

"I see." She said.

"What happened while I was gone."

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with. You should be more concerned about yourself. The magic that you used is dangerous. What would have happened if this was the worst case scenario? Your magic is below average...and next time it may lead to your downfall."

"Are you concerned?"

"I'm more concerned about the repercussions on my son. My husband attacked you before you disappeared. Even if you don't feel anything now...you may later."

"I trust your son is with Charlus and his family?"

"No, he's at Hogwarts. I had the headmaster look after him. Only Rabastan knows where he is. I had him obliviated under my insistence in case my husband tries anything funny."

"I suppose your right. Perhaps my methods might have been more dangerous than I thought but at least I'm here now right. I could attend Hogwarts, learn more and eventually find my way back home."

"Then I'll be looking forward to that day when Rodolphus can come home."

Hermione turned and saw Irene was heading back. Gathering her courage Hermione ran straight between platforms 9 and 10 and vanished to the other side of the wall.

On the other side much like the beginning of her first four years at Hogwarts, lots of kids of different ages stood outside the train packing their luggage before boarding on the train.

Rabastan was nowhere to be seen. In the distance however she could see a girl with short red hair struggling with her luggage.

"Do you need any help?"

She nodded.

Hermione took the heavy suitcase off her hands while she carried the bags on to the train. She struggled with the suitcase in her hands slowly dragging it over to the train when a hand jumped in and grabbed the suitcase out of her hands.

"What?" She looked up and saw two guys who looked a couple of years older than her.

"Hey!" She called out to them. "What are you doing with that bag?"

"We're going to pack it silly. You don't think we'd actually let a woman do it by herself would you?"

She walked off. If she said anything she was almost certain that it might provoke them. The two boys looked very similar to Fred and George if the look in their eyes was any indication.

Hermione returned to the girl.

"Thank you." She said. "By the way what's your name?"

"Um...er it's Molly."

"Oh, I'm Stacy. Is this your first year at Hogwarts?"

"In a matter of speaking."

"You look older than a first year at any rate."

"Yeah."

The two took a seat towards the back of the train. Hermione had been long used to riding in the back with Harry and Ron.

Both girls sat comfortably in opposite seats.

"I didn't see your parents anywhere."

"They have work." Hermione said which was partially true considering they would be when she returned to 1995 if she returned back to 1995. "What about you?"

"My parents work at the Ministry most of the time so they usually send the babysitter but she had more important errands to run so I came here by myself."

What in her right mind believed that anything could be more important than her well-being did she really hold herself in such low regard? Hermione was confused.

Still Hermione knew better than to add her opinion to the matter.

"So I take it that's the first time you've seen the Prewett twins?"

Hermione's eyes widened in surprise.

"Those were the Prewett twins?!"

"They're handsome right?"

"Kind of." Hermione said. Though they weren't physically attractive, she couldn't deny their appeal.

The guy that had helped her with Stacy's luggage was quite tall with short red hair and jade eyes that almost looked grey.

The other guy was somewhat shorter and had longer hair which he kept in a ponytail. Now she knew where Bill got his hairstyle.

"Here, do you want some cauldron cakes? I just bought them from the trolley lady."

Stacy handed her a couple of cakes which Hermione feasted on.

Hermione gathered that despite how rich she seemed to be there was something more to the picture but she'd refrain from talking about it for now.

"So what house are you in? I'd assume Gryffindor from your tie."

Hermione nodded with a smile.

"You caught me."

"Don't worry. I'm in Gryffindor too." She said unbuttoning her robes showing off her tie.

For the rest of the train ride the two continued their talk and Hermione thought they had got along very well.

It was her first girl friend that she had made on her own. Sure Ginny had been her friend but that was a given considering that she was Ron's sister. Under any other circumstances Ginny probably would have seen her as a stuck-up prick and she couldn't deny that flaw.

Still she liked Stacy simply for the fact that she tolerated her.

Eventually the train came to a stop. Outside an old man with only one arm and greeted them.

"Follow me first years." He said in a whimsical voice.

The first years followed the old man to the dock where the boats were lined against the shore.

Once the man had sent off the boats, he approached the rest of the students.

"The rest of you follow me."

Stacy and Hermione followed the old man to the carriages that seemed to have been transfigured to move on their own.

Across from where they were sitting two other girls were on the carriage with them. One of them had short blonde hair and the other one had long blonde hair with a dreamy look in her eyes.

"Ah you must be Rita Skeeter, that wannabe reporter who writes the school paper." Stacy said to the girl with the short blonde hair.

"Hardly. There is no question about it...I will be a reporter. The best one this world will ever see."

Hermione scoffed.

"That remains to be seen."

"You'll always miss something if you're always so skeptical."

Hermione saw that it was the other girl who spoke up. Something in her demeanor was oddly fascinating.

Rita's eyes darted towards her.

"And who are you I've never seen you at Hogwarts before." She said. Hermione could immediately see she had ruined her favour with the blonde. The way she so deftly tried to smooth things over as if Hermione hadn't offended her in some way was so like her.

"Something that great Rita Skeeter doesn't know. My my." Hermione taunted slyly.

Rita's face flushed a dark crimson red.

Eventually their carriage came to a halt and the old man from earlier opened the carriage.

"We're finally here."

Hermione stepped out and it hit her didn't Dumbledore hire Hagrid as keeper of the keys? Was Hagrid even here or was the old man the former keeper of the keys?

"Where are you going?" Hermione asked Rita who was heading towards the Ravenclaw tables once they had stepped into the Great Hall.

"I'm in Ravenclaw in case you couldn't tell."

'That was a surprising revelation.' Hermione thought. She would have thought that Rita would have been a Slytherin with how persistently cunning she was at pinpointing the dirt on some people.

Hermione took a seat at the Gryffindor table just as the sorting began.

A tall man with a long reddish beard came in with a flock of first years but Hermione recognised his bright blue eyes in an instant.

The man was none other than Albus Dumbledore.

At the staff table, nearly all of the teachers were complete strangers. The only person she knew who was sitting at the staff table was Professor Flitwick.

Professor Dumbledore set the sorting hat on the wooden stool near the staff table, calling the first years names on the list.

"Andromeda Black."

"SLYTHERIN."

Hermione looked up and saw the woman. She kind of looked like Draco's mother in the face.

"Amelia Bones."

"HUFFLEPUFF."

Dumbledore kept on calling first years one after another until finally he called the person she had been looking forward to seeing again.

"Rabastan Lestrange."

"SLYTHERIN."

Hermione looked up. He didn't look much different than the last time she had seen him though Hermione thought he might have grown a little taller. He joined the Slytherins who welcomed him with open arms.

"Alice Prewett"

"HUFFLEPUFF."

"Molly, you know about Professor Dumbledore right?" asked Stacy who was sitting across the table from her.

Hermione nodded.

"You're going to have to ask him about your time tables after the sorting."

"Ted Tonks."

"GRYFFINDOR."

After the sorting was finished, the old man that sat in the center of the staff table stood up.

"Welcome students to another fine year at Hogwarts. All students should note that the forest on the grounds is forbidden to all pupils. No magic is to be used between classes in the corridors. Thank you for your time." He said before he sat back down.

After the students had finished eating the prefects took the students to their respective common rooms.

Much to Hermione's surprise, both Arthur and Molly Weasley were the prefects. Of course she knew that they were prefects while attending Hogwarts but she hadn't expected to meet them during her time here. It was a sight for sore eyes.

She went to the fourth year girl's dormitory and sat on one of the beds. Luckily she wouldn't have to provide her own blankets or covers as the school already provided the mandatory pillows and blankets that she needed in order to sleep here.

Hermione had brought no luggage other than her school bag and the clothes she was wearing. She could transfigure more clothes if she needed it though...she just couldn't transfigure blankets was all.

Hermione sighed as she laid on the bed. She would have to meet up with Rabastan as soon as possible because even if she found a way to travel forward into time she couldn't possibly leave while his brother was still unconscious.

HPSS

The next morning after classes, Hermione went to lunch. Much like she had done as a regular student she took her lunch outside to eat near the lake.

She spotted Rabastan as she was heading out. He stood by the doors as Hermione had exited the castle to head over to the lake.

"Who are you?" He asked as she passed him by.

Hermione's eyes darted up in surprise. Didn't he recognise her?

"What are you talking about? Don't you recognise me?"

Rabastan was silent. He made no attempts to look at her. It was as if he didn't believe her.

Hermione huffed. If he was going to be this way...

She ignored him and headed to the lake but much to her dismay he followed her.

"I know that you're not her. That isn't your true identity is it?"

Hermione glanced at him with a combination of surprise and panic.

"What do you think you know about me?" She huffed. "You don't know anything."

"You're a muggleborn."

Hermione paled. She couldn't have played innocent if she tried.

"Even if you lied to me, there are spells that can confirm it."

"What are you trying to say?" She asked.

"I'm trying to say that even if it is true, it doesn't change my opinion of you."

"Must have been a bad opinion from the start." Hermione said bitterly. "I'm not telling you anything. The only reason I'm here is to revive your brother after that I'll be out of your life once and for all."

"You don't even know how to get back home."

"So...I'll find a way. There has to be a way."

Considering that the whole Department of Mysteries has been experimenting with time for centuries at most there must have been more information about it. Professor McGonagall had even told her stories of the famed Grandfather paradox where witches and wizards had vanished from time, there had to be stories.

"I'm afraid I can't let that happen. I'm the only one who knows where he is and I don't think you're acting very trustworthy at the moment." Rabastan said smugly.

Hermione saw he was smirking in her direction. Why was he being so difficult?

"You have a lot of nerve." She snapped. "Do you even care about what happens to me or are you so pent up in making things difficult for your own satisfaction?"

"I put a lot of thought into this." He said. "Mum sent me a letter this morning...she said she met you over at the train station. She said that after she sent me her letter she had made arrangements with Professor Dippet who has already talked with Professor Dumbledore. You'll have to discuss your time tables with Professor Dumbledore in detail though."

"Did you tell them about my condition?"

"That you were a time traveler? No. You should probably keep that a secret." He said. "Mum changed your name slightly. You won't be using Potter as a last name instead you'll be using our last name and you're to be my older sister for the time being."

"Oh. Even if that's the case don't you even care about your brother?"

"You have the power to revive him right?"

Hermione glared.

"Then I believe the answer is clear.

"Why is it so important that you know my name?"

Rabastan smiled.

"You're not helping matters staying silent."

He whistled walking back into the castle.

"Hey I'm talking to you." She yelled.

Rabastan didn't look back.

HPSS

In an irritable mood, Hermione treaded back to where Professor McGonagall's office was in her time. She figured Professor Dumbledore was holed up there using the office as his quarters.

With fragile nerves, Hermione knocked on the door of his office.

"Come in."

The familiar comfort radiated a sense of deja vu as Hermione opened the door and stepped inside.

Professor Dumbledore was sitting at the desk in the office. Many of the artifacts that had filled his old office had remained in his quarters.

Towards the back of his office, Fawkes stood on his perch. The phoenix looked to be plucking at his feathers.

"Um...Rabastan was telling me to talk to you. Something to do with my time tables."

"Armando was telling me that you were a new student but he wouldn't tell me which year you were attending. He couldn't divulge any information about you outside the fact that you were still a student."

"I was just finishing my fourth year before I came here." Hermione said.

"Yes, Armando told me you had done very well on your OWLS."

'What? How would he know about that?'

Hermione chuckled nervously.

"Do you have some idea of which classes you want to take? As you well know Hogwarts is known for it's extensive coverage of ancient runes, muggle studies and various methods in divination."

"I think I'll try my hand at ancient runes and muggle studies."

"Ah, then I'll add them to your time tables." Dumbledore said as he dipped his quill in the ink and began jotting down the rest of her schedule before handing over her time tables.

"Shouldn't you head to class about now?"

Hermione flushed.

"Don't worry about your morning classes. I'll hand you the homework after you're finished with your classes for today."

Hermione nodded and left his office to head over to the greenhouses where the Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs were standing outside.

After the professor had lead them inside much of the class had went by uneventfully and Hermione headed back to Dumbledore's office after class to retrieve her homework.

Looking through her homework it seemed they were to be practising a complicated series of wand movements.

Hermione never extensively contemplated a wand movement in relation to spell casting.

The more precise movements apparently produced the most efficient transfiguration.

She wondered if the same could be said of all spells.

It inspired her to research more extensively on how the wand movement effected other spells. Perhaps it effected the efficiency of the spell itself.

What better place to practise than in the library?

Inside the library was a tall stern woman with grey hair. By the looks of the pronounced wrinkles of her face she could have passed as a 100 year old muggle woman.

She paid Hermione no mind as she began rummaging through books taking a couple of books off the shelves to skim through.

Hermione was so wrapped up in her studies she didn't notice that she had any company until someone swiped her book.

She looked up it was a girl around her age with curly black hair and eyes that were a lighter shade of brown, an almost auburn colour.

"About time. If I didn't know any better I'd have thought you were going to read the whole library."

She dressed up quite conservatively if the lack of robes was a keen example. Hermione had the blatant knowledge in knowing how warm it tended to get and it was quite uncomfortable after a while wearing those suffocating robes yet it didn't seem to bother the girl at all.

"I saw you talking with that first year during lunch."

"You mean Rabastan."

"That's his name? His mother works at the Ministry doesn't she?"

Hermione shrugged. She didn't know what Irene had been up to when she was gone. Hermione had no clue that she even worked for the Ministry.

"I'm Karen."

"Molly."

Karen took a seat across from her.

"So what are you doing?"

"Researching." Hermione said curtly. She couldn't actively pursue any important matters while she had company which irked her.

"So are you and Rabastan friends or something?"

"We're family." She lied.

"Oh."

"Is there a reason why you are so curious?"

"No reason. It's not like I like him or anything. I prefer boys my own age." She said. "Do you usually stay and research in the library all by yourself?"

She had always been alone hadn't she? Hermione couldn't even remember the last time she had seen Ron and Harry. Was she that heartless? How could she forget them so easily?

Suddenly Hermione was overwhelmed with emotion. Perhaps a part of herself had thought this was only a dream. Maybe she thought she'd wake up the next day to see Ron banter with her or Harry get caught into some deeply contrived plot but it never happened.

Did a part of herself block it out because she couldn't bare the harsh reality? Maybe it was a hopeless cause...maybe she had already thought in her mind that it was useless to even contemplate succeeding on a way to get home.

It was only logical. There was nothing on time travel in school books not even the library's books covered it in extensive detail.

She had felt irritated trying over and over again and coming up with nothing and had felt like giving up but a part of her hadn't let her because she had to try again. She couldn't accept that there was no hope.

"I-I'd guess so. I never really noticed before." Hermione said.

"You shouldn't have to be so lonely. You can talk to me if you like, I'm willing to hear you talk about anything."

Hermione saw her palm resting at the side of her chin, eyes firmly glancing at her as if she had captured her attention.

"I don't really know what to say."

"Have you started your homework yet?"

"No...but..."

"If you like I can help you."

Hermione showed her the papers on wand motions.

Karen brought out her wand and began to show Hermione the movements.

She swished the wand every which way and Hermione found herself a little lost by her quick movements.

"It's more complicated than I thought." Hermione said breathlessly, her eyes captured by the girl's fluid movements.

"I can help you practise if you like."

Hermione smiled.

"I'd like that."

The two practised until the evening but Hermione couldn't help but feel she was missing something important.

When you miss a total of 18 weeks there was always a chance that something critical could have been missed and Hermione really wanted to catch up on any missing material but how could she? No one was as dedicated to studying as she was at least not in her time.

She sighed.

HPSS

After Hermione had finished in the library she headed back to the Gryffindor Common Room. She was amazed by the amount of people that had flocked the common room.

There were people gathered amongst the fireplace. Some were playing Chess and others were playing Gobstones.

Still with what had transpired she couldn't help but wonder why no one was sitting on the couch. Surely after standing for such a long time someone would want to sit on the couch.

Exhausted Hermione sat on the couch and was contemplating practising her homework once more when she suddenly heard the room fall silent.

Looking up everyone was looking at her, some were looking eerily pale.

Had she done something wrong?

Just then the crowd parted and a girl who was accompanied by a couple of other girls walked up to her.

"What are you doing sitting on the couch?"

A girl with blonde hair sporting a boycut stood before her. Her face was scrunched up a lot like Pansy Parkinson's face. She was staring at Hermione as if she had done something wrong.

"There was no one sitting there I thought-"

"No one sits on the couch. No one. You're no exception. You think just because you suddenly appeared that you owned the couch."

Hermione was miffed. What right did this girl have to tell her what to do and why did her dorm mates give her such power? Did they not have any Gryffindor courage?

She spotted Arthur with his arm wrapped around Molly looking at the scene with amusement.

Molly seemed to look at the situation in horror pulling away from him.

"Shouldn't we stop them?" she asked shakily.

"Let them have their fun. It's rare we get to see such action."

"I don't know."

Molly ceased her intervention however and continued on though the whole time Hermione noticed her face was looking down in what she could only describe as shame.

'Shame' that's what she'd feel if she let this girl do whatever she wished.

"Well, I certainly didn't see your name on it."

It happened so fast she hadn't even seen when her hand had hit her face.

Hermione turned looking and saw Stacy in the crowd.

"Stacy."

The girl who had just finished slapping Hermione's face turned and glanced at Stacy who looked very pale. Hermione could see her swallow.

"Who are you?" She asked Hermione.

Hermione felt the harsh stab of a betrayal. Now her only choice was to fend for herself. The place where she had slapped her burned and seethed.

She immediately got to her feet and lunged towards her slapping her on the face with retaliation. She had never been one for violence but this girl had gone too far.

At the corner of her eye she saw one of the girls in back. The one with the long curly blonde hair. Her lips quivered and her hand which looked to have been held out had been retracted as though she were hesitant.

Did that girl fear this girl? She seemed more shaky than the rest.

"HOW DARE YOU?" She screamed, pushing her.

"You're the one who hit me. Don't try to play innocent."

The girl continued her attacks and Hermione had tripped backwards from where the marbles from an old gobstone game laid on the floor.

That was when the girl pounced on her, pulling her hair and punching her face.

"FIGHT, FIGHT!"

Hermione looked up and saw the Prewett twins seeming to encourage this violence.

'Well that loses any respect I had for them.' She thought.

Hermione whited out holding out her arms and trying to push the girl away. She was angry and wanted to retaliate against the girl. What gave her the right to treat her this way?

She thought the punches would never end.

"STOP!" She heard Dumbledore's voice.

The punches ceased and Hermione thought it safe to open her eyes.

"Who started it?" Dumbledore asked.

All the students pointed their fingers at the other girl.

"I won't forget this." She spat as Dumbledore had lead her away.

After the girl was gone, Hermione was struck with curiosity. Approaching the girl from before she begin asking her what was on her mind.

"Who was that?" Hermione asked.

"Her name's Rhonda...Rhonda Hatchett."

"Why doesn't anyone stand up to her?"

"She's violent. The last time anyone stood up to her they were sent to St. Mungos for 4 months. No one ever heard from them again. You were lucky to remain unscathed. You're tougher than you look." She said.

Hermione saw that she was smiling.

"What's your name by the way?"

"I'm Bridgette and you."

"I'm Molly."

"So why did you sit on the couch in the first place?"

"I was looking for a place to do my homework." She said as she couldn't really tell Bridgette that she was used to sitting on the couch. It had been a habit she had acquired whilst doing her homework.

"I can help you with your homework if you like?" She said with a soft hesitant voice.

"Alright."

Hermione handed over her transfiguration homework and they worked on it for the rest of the day.

HPSS

End Notes:

1. For the next chapter what do you think about Hermione having a harem? Yes or No? In either case Rabastan is going to wind up with Hermione.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: February 20, 1975: Meeting Rabastan

**_Rust red ooze coated his fingers. His fingers seem to relish in taking life force and trampling on it. By taking lives there was a pleasure as if it was some kind of revenge for taking someone vital to him._**

**_At the end of his fingers were sharp beastly nails, he had seen earlier. The blood coated the knife he held in his other hand. Earlier he had been running his fingers through it as though it was his prized possession._**

**_His tongue grazed the blood coated fingers, relishing the taste of the metallic ooze._**

**_Why he could have had pleasure in taking blood from someone else had been beyond his comprehension._**

**_Each time the knife had nicked his skin, it drew more and more blood. Each stab with it's share of pain, he had wanted it to end. He had thought he would die but he kept healing it._**

**_He found he couldn't wake up even if he wanted to because even if this was a nightmare it sure as h-l felt real. Paralysis invaded his body and he couldn't move he had wanted it to be over._**

"Are you going to eat breakfast or are you going to stay in bed all day? Wake up, Lestrange!"

The commandeering voice was almost as demanding as that from the old potion master while he had been a potion master anyway.

Harry got up with a cold sweat. That was some nightmare...a part of him had been glad that he woke him up but the other part of him was grouchy. He was tired and he wanted more sleep.

After finishing a small game of gobstones with Severus, Harry had headed to the Slytherin common room following another oblivious slytherin who had picked up the password solely for his own ears.

Hermione had brought him a bag to hold his clothes and most importantly his invisibility cloak.

Once Harry had headed up the boy's dormitories, he spotted Evan laying fast asleep on the bottom bed. The top bed was empty and clean as if no one had been sleeping there at all.

"So you're the new person, huh? Slughorn told me he'd be moving Muliciber." said Evan, who rolled his eyes as if he wasn't amused but the large smile gave him away. He seemed satisfied with Harry taking the top bed. "Severus won't be too happy though. Muliciber is his friend after all."

Harry snorted. He couldn't fathom why Snape had such low tastes yet it made complete sense with how much he knew about the man. It made too much sense.

As if the walls had ears, Snape swooped inside. His eyes glanced around as if to see who was here when his eyes stopped on Harry.

"Why is he here and where's Muliciber?"

"Why don't you ask your head of house if you're so curious." Evan said nastily.

Snape however wasn't paying him any mind his eyes glaring icily at Harry.

"I don't want him there."

"Why?"

"He just rubs me the wrong way."

"I don't see your problem, Severus. He seems quite docile to me. He might even be a better friend for you than those questionable friends of yours."

Harry meticulously set up his bed ignoring their banter. He really didn't care if Snape hated him or not, he solely had the right to his opinion but he was staying.

Laying on his bed, closing his eyes he could relax knowing that he had his secrets and that none of them could be exposed and all of it could be credited to the fact that he had taught himself Occlumency.

While Snape's voice was a comfort under normal circumstances, the arguing that he had attempted to filter out of his head was becoming increasingly louder.

"My questionable friends? Are you on his side now?" Snape inquired angrily.

"I always openly detested Muliciber it has nothing to do with Lestrange." Evan said.

"Who says they're my friends?"

The noise was so loud it was beginning to give Harry a headache.

"SHUUUUUUUUTTTTTTUP!" He snapped.

Evan and Snape were silent. Snape looked up at him silently glaring at Harry.

"Some people are trying to sleep you know."

Snape was silent and decided to crawl in his own bed but not before shutting the curtains concealing him from the rest of the boys in the dormitory.

Harry thought he might have been sulking in there but that didn't last for too long. He seemed good at serving his revenge with waking Harry up so early.

"I want to stay in bed all day if it's alright with you." Harry snapped at him.

"You know that it's common belief that sleeping all day can be bad for your back."

Harry glared at him.

"What do I care about my back."

"If you sleep for too long you'll might miss out on a hot delicious meal and as they say the early bird gets the worm."

Harry got up, giving Snape his tired and angry look.

Snape seemed indifferent to this however giving Harry, a wide smirk looking thoroughly amused.

"I didn't think you cared."

"I don't."

Grumbling Harry got out of bed. It looked like everyone had left for breakfast, the only person here was him and Snape.

As Harry got down from his bed he noticed Snape's face had turned a deep crimson.

"Why do you look so surprised?" Harry asked curiously.

"I'm not surprised, you fool. Get some clothes on." He snapped.

What a prude. It was as if he never seen a naked man before.

Harry put on his shirt.

"You put your shirt on first? What kind of logic is that?"

What was Snape harping about now?

"I put my shirt on first so what, do you have a problem with what I do?" Harry asked irritably.

"Most people would put their pants on first." He stammered, it was almost as if he was embarrassed about something.

Harry turned to look at him. His face was a bright crimson red and he had to admit it made him look almost...delectable.

"If you have something to say about my Albus Dumbledore, just say it."

"You've named your p-p..." He stammered.

"Yes. Do you like it?" Harry asked stepping into Snape's personal space.

Snape took a step back and turned away as if he was fighting with himself not to look.

Harry grinned, stepping away quickly putting on his pants before slinking into his trousers and slipping into his robes before following Snape to breakfast.

As if he was deemed king over a palace, he sat by Snape like a dog with mindless loyalty. Avery and Muliciber were no where to be seen.

Evan sat across from them.

"What you took you two so long?"

"I was sleeping and Snape for some unfathomable reason thought it prudent that I wake up for breakfast."

"Yesterday if I remember correctly you were the one harping over the necessity in eating three meals a day."

Harry grumbled.

"I was only referring to you."

Snape snorted.

"Surely that wouldn't take you a good twenty minutes."

"Snape was just a little flustered after looking at my john thomas."

Evan snorted with laughter.

"Really Severus, you act like it's your first time to seeing a naked man."

"It took me by surprise that's all." Snape muttered defensively effectively not looking at Harry.

Harry scoffed.

"There was nothing surprising about it. You were flustered like you never seen a penis before."

Snape coughed.

"It's only natural that you would be embarrassed from something like that." Harry pointed out.

"I wasn't flustered and I wasn't embarrassed." Snape retorted in anger.

Harry continued eating without further comment. An owl came and dropped a scroll on his plate of food.

"Who's that from, your mother?" Snape asked.

Harry opened the scroll, his eyes wide and his face pale with horror.

"What's the matter, Lestrange?" He asked.

All Harry could see however...all he could feel was the agonizing pain and his lips pursing in anticipation of the horror about to come as Rabastan Lestrange had continued stabbing him with the knife.

"Lestrange!" Snape's voice cut through his thoughts.

"Oh, it's nothing." Harry said. It was really none of Snape's business at this point. One thing he did know about Snape when he was a kid...he wasn't exactly the most trustworthy person around and Harry couldn't afford to spill any of his secrets...least of all to him.

Rolling up the scroll, Harry got up from his seat.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm going to see my mum. She should be in Slughorn's office."

"Then I'll come with you."

"It's not necessary."

"We're friends right? It'd be a pity if I left you all alone with no one to turn to." Snape taunted him.

Harry didn't fall for the bait...he was somewhat amiable with Rodolphus whether this was a good thing or not however remained to be seen.

"Fine." He muttered weakly.

Snape's eyes widened in surprise as though he hadn't expected him to be so agreeable.

As they made their way to Slughorn's office, Harry diligently knocked on his door.

"Come in." Harry could hear Slughorn's voice from the other side.

Snape and Harry stepped inside.

A tall man with short brown hair stood beside Hermione. Tiny hairs stuck out from the sides of his face and he had a thick brown moustache above his upper lip, a fairly good looking man by the looks of it. Harry immediately recognised him right away.

It was Rabastan Lestrange all right.

Slughorn was nearby looking at Harry before his eyes were drawn to Severus.

"Severus, I didn't expect to you here."

"Just accompanying Lestrange." He said distastefully.

"Are you blind, Severus or did you forget to say hi?"

Chills ran down Snape's spine as he turned to see no one other than Lucius Malfoy.

"What are you doing here?" He snapped.

"Is that anyone to treat your best friend?" Lucius said wrapping his arms around Snape and holding him tight.

"Let...me...go...Lucius."

"You never even come by to say hi anymore."

"As I recall the last time I visited, Scarlett nearly had to file charges for sexual harassment."

"Scarlett?" Harry asked.

"Evan's mother." Snape said.

Lucius glanced at Harry for a moment before his stare turned icy.

"You're ditching me for him. What do you see in him, Severus?" Lucius asked, looking more and more distraught as time went on.

"Where do you come up with ideas with like that? I've told you time and time again I hold no leanings towards the homosexual agenda. Don't make assumptions from something that's not even there."

When Snape wasn't looking, Harry set his hand out letting it rest on his left shoulder.

Much to the Malfoy's irritation, he gave him a smug look and stuck his tongue out causing Lucius to turn red.

"Lucius, Severus if you don't mind Molly wants to talk to her son alone." Slughorn said.

"Then I'll be going." Snape said. Harry let go of his shoulder.

"I'll go too."

Lucius turned to give Harry a triumphant grin.

"ALONE!"

"But Severus..."

Their arguing faded away.

"Now if you'll excuse me I have other arrangements to tend to." Slughorn said leaving his office.

When Slughorn was well out of ear range was when Hermione spoke what was on her mind.

"What was that all about?"

"What?"

"That! It looked like you were trying to get a rise out of Malfoy." Hermione said.

"And if I was?"

"Your fighting is reminiscent to that of a jealous lover fighting over their cherished possession."

"Is it a crime?"

"No, but..."

"Is this the boy you were talking about, Hermione?" Rabastan asked, scrutinising Harry with a keen eye.

"Yes."

"You're from the future right."

"How does he know?" Harry asked sharply. His tone was down right accusing.

"I didn't tell him anything, Harry." Hermione said.

"She didn't. I guessed because I honestly never seen anyone that looks quite like you do. He kind of looks similar to Henry and Charlus. Is he a Potter, perhaps?"

Harry nodded staring at Rabastan defiantly.

"I'm not afraid of you. If you threaten my life I will not hesitate to kill you."

Rabastan chuckled.

"Is that a threat?"

"It's a promise." Harry replied.

"Bastian! The lousy bigwigs at the Ministry wanted to talk to you-Molly, what are you doing down here?"

Harry turned and saw a tall man with a short crop of red hair and jade eyes.

"It's been a long time since I last seen you." He said walking closer until he was in front of Hermione.

Harry looked at Hermione with confusion.

His left arm wrapped around her waist.

Suddenly a woman appeared behind the red haired man from within the shadows.

"Shhh." She said to Harry before she smacked the back of his head with a roll of newspaper.

"W-who did that?" the man sputtered. He turned and growled at what he saw.

"VANCE!"

"What have I said before about flirting with other girls?"

Was that Emmeline Vance, the same woman who was a member of the Order of the Phoenix?

He sighed with defeat.

"You said if you're going to do you better not let me catch you doing it."

"I also said to do it more skillfully. It's so easy to track you down it's not even funny. Do you even practise or do you waste your time flirting with every moving thing with a bosom?" She scolded him.

"D-n it, Vance. Stay out of this."

"She's mine, Prewett" Rabastan said pulling her closer until she was trapped in his arms where she felt secure.

Suddenly it hit him like being submerged in a tub of cold water, did that man happen to be Fabian Prewett, Molly's brother?

The red haired man shook it off glancing at his hand.

"That hurt Lestrange."

Harry could see Fabian's hand where it had turned red from where Rabastan had presumably hit him.

"Then keep your hands to yourself."

Fabian left.

"Who's this? Is this your son, Molly?" Emmeline asked.

"Yes. You'll have to tell me about it later. You ought to visit more often we hardly see each other outside order meetings."

"There's a reason for that." Hermione muttered through gritted teeth.

"You shouldn't let him to get you." She said. "In any case, your husband is with you so it should be fine. If you invite him with you I'm sure Fabian would keep his hands to himself."

She left some time later.

"Was that Molly's brother just now?"

"Believe me, that's not the only person you'll see."

"So after the school year is it safe to say I'll be staying with you during the summer?" Harry asked.

"Yes, but unfortunately that means being invited to the Malfoy's annual parties." Rabastan said.

Harry sighed.

"It'll be alright. Besides Harry I'm sure there's someone you'd like just love to see there, right?"

Harry glanced at her. She looked as though she was trying hard not to laugh.

"I don't see what's so funny."

"It's just the vision of you and Snape."

"It wouldn't be funny if you were the one with the crush."

Hermione sobered.

"I suppose you're right."

"In any case, this arrangement should be fine. It should give me time to practise turning into my animagus form."

"Animagus form? What exactly were you up to when I was gone?" Hermione asked.

Harry smiled.

"A lot." He said as if that was the answer to everything.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: February 25, 1995: A Surprising Sight

As the weeks had gone by, Harry had eventually found himself walking around the courtyard when he saw Cynthia trotting towards him.

"Harry!"

"Cynthia, what are you doing here?"

"Oh I found some time and I just wanted to see you." She said, a keen light in her eyes.

"Hmm... Oh is that all?"

"Well, we are dating aren't we?" She said pulling him to his feet.

Harry couldn't help but think of the kiss that had transpired yesterday between him and a certain potion master.

"I guess so." He said confused by his emotions.

It felt very nice being treasured by someone for once. Wasn't this how a relationship was supposed to be?

"What's wrong, Harry?"

"Nothing." Harry said, but his thoughts were elsewhere. There was something about the way Snape had said the things he had that was nagging his thoughts.

Harry had asked about his wand and there had been something wild present in the man's eyes. As if he were a hunter who had just found his quarry.

'Oh I have my wand. I have my wand in a very secure place.'

Harry coughed. His face turned a deep shade of red. Why talk about that of all things? Had he been trying to seduce him?!

'Better to not think about it!' He thought.

Why had the potion master thought it prudent to kiss him of all people and why was that kiss on his mind?

Something about the softness of his lips and the way his lips met his so desperately. It was if he had been reacquainted with an old lover.

Did Harry resemble someone that he knew and what was this burning feeling in his chest?

"Are you alright, Harry?" Cynthia's voice cut through his thoughts.

"I want to show you something if you have the time."

Harry nodded his head.

"Sure."

"It might get you into serious trouble you know. I want to introduce you to my clan."

"It's alright but don't they hate wizards?"

"I think they'll make an exception for you." She said with a smile and dragged him along leading him into the forest.

Eventually through all the trees and shrubbery, the two made it to a clearing surrounded by trees.

Surrounding the clearing towered a circle of large huts large enough for families of centaurs.

Bane, a centaur with the long blonde hair stomped towards them glaring at Cynthia and Harry.

"Why is he here?"

"We're together."

"I beg your pardon." He fumed.

"You heard me." Cynthia snapped, her voice turning somewhat screechy.

Bane looked indignant.

"This is absurd, it's unheard of."

" You're going to have to accept that he'll join the tribe eventually if we're to get married in the future."

"Is it something you're planning sometime in the future?" Bane asked, looking at them with disbelief.

"Of course not. It was a what if scenario." She snapped, looking indignant at his nerve.

"Then it shouldn't worry you."

Cynthia gritted her teeth.

"You don't even take me seriously."

"Get this...human out of here." He growled.

"He has just as much of a right to be here as my tribe. Besides he isn't here to visit you and your tribe. He's here to visit my tribe." She said.

Bane scoffed as Cynthia continued on her way until she met up with another centaur. Unlike Bane and his tribe...the centaurs from her clan wore exotic clothes much like ol' gypsies.

"Cynthia, what is this human doing here?" the centaur asked softly.

"Ahalaror this is my boyfriend, Harry Potter."

"Ridiculous." She murmured under her breath. Harry could see the wrinkles under her eyes and her dry lips. She looked very old. "You know this against the rules. A human and a centaur can never be a good match. Humans are greedy and will always seek power for their own ends."

"Harry isn't like that, Ahalaror."

"Say Cynthia, who's that boy with you?" another centaur asked. The centaur in question had a short crop of blond hair staring at Harry with sharp blue eyes.

"He kind of looks funny wouldn't you say Acero?" Another centaur said with long black hair.

"DORAN! What have I told you time and time again?" Ahalaror scolded him.

Doran stared at the ground, looking very ashamed of himself.

"Keep my comments to myself." He said gloomly.

"Is that Cynthia's boyfriend?" Another centaur asked, a girl by the sound of it.

"Yes, Huna."

"I thought that was against the rules."

"If Cynthia wants to take this boy as her boyfriend that is her decision. The elder is the only one who could make the final decision."

Cynthia scowled.

"It doesn't matter what he says." She said. "Isn't it enough that I like him?"

Ahalahor's eyebrows contorted and her lips firmed. She looked outright angry with her.

"You'd dare treat the elder with such disrespect after he spared your life?"

Harry turned towards Cynthia, her face a deadly white.

"That was uncalled for." He snapped.

"It doesn't make it any less true." Doran said grimly.

"Are you alright, Cynthia?" Harry consoled his girlfriend who looked in dire straits.

Cynthia looked up at Harry with a pensive smile on her smile.

"I'm really useless aren't I?"

Harry looked at her, squeezing her hands between his own.

"It'll be fine." He said with a sheepish grin.

A distinctive cough came from behind them and both Cynthia and Harry whirled around to face the direction in which it was coming from.

An old centaur with a long grey beard and a balding head glared at them with shrewd eyes.

"I see that you think yourself above the rules as usual, Cynthia."

"Don't give me that, old man. You've already taken so much from me. Why can't I earn my own happiness for once." She raged on passionately. It seemed Harry's grip on her hands had given her some courage.

"Who is this young man, Cynthia?" He asked staring at Harry shrewdly like he was a creepy insect to be dissected and scrutinised thoroughly.

"His name's Harry."

"Harry Potter?" He inquired with his scratchy voice.

"I didn't say-"

"The scar is blatant. I would have been able to tell even if you had lied to me."

"Is there a problem with that?"

"He doesn't belong here, Cynthia."

"I'm just here to show him something."

"He's not allowed in the forest. Bane has made it clear that the headmaster doesn't allow any of his students in the forest."

"I'm just going to show him something later on in the evening then it will be the last time you see him."

"You live to test my patience, child."

"Thank you, elder."

"I won't be responsible for any trouble that the boy gets into. I imagine that the headmaster will be furious with him by the end of it."

Harry sighed but Cynthia's smile had been worth it in his opinion.

As evening arrived, Harry and Cynthia had gathered around the fire at the centre of the huts.

Most of the centaurs had gathered around looking at the stars in the night sky.

Several bright dots of light fluttered throughout the air flickering different colours.

Some red and green dots fluttered around Harry.

"This is what I wanted to show you, Harry." Cynthia said, her eyes glimmered brightly reflecting the fire in her eyes.

"This is beautiful." He said. "What are these things?"

"Lightbugs." She said. "No one sees them too often. They're shy creatures."

Harry turned to look at her.

"It's beautiful."

Cynthia turned red at his close proximity.

"Are you talking about the lightbugs?" She asked, feigning innocence.

"I was talking about you." He said kissing her lightly on the lips.

She pulled away instantly turning away looking very flustered.

"I think we should go." She said.

Cynthia got up to her feet and Harry followed her to the elder sitting on the other side of the fire.

"Biro, can I borrow your spear?"

"That would be very wise. The creatures of the night will not cease from attacking the both of you."

Biro, the elder took the spear beneath his feet and handed it over to Cynthia.

"Thank you. You've done so much for me and I never thanked you. I've always truly appreciated you for what you did. I'm sorry if it doesn't seem like it."

The elder smiled.

Cynthia trotted along with Harry following from behind.

"You could ride my back if you like. You must be so tired after the journey." She said.

"Alright."

Cynthia stood still as Harry climbed on her back.

"Let's go." She said galloping quickly along. Harry held on tightly as they treaded quickly through the woods.

As they headed towards the end of the forest suddenly a large tree came crashing down ahead of them.

"Cynthia! Look out." Harry yelled from behind her holding on tightly.

Cynthia stopped in the nick of time just as a troll stomped from behind the tree that had crashed before them.

With a solid grip on her spear, Cynthia pointed it towards the direction of the troll.

The troll locked eyes with them and growled lunging at them with his club.

She rolled to the side causing Harry to fall off her back unceremoniously as the club hit the ground at a high velocity.

She slowly got up to her feet.

The troll growled just as Harry had collected himself and his arm knocked them both back to the ground.

Harry groaned feeling a sort of pain in his back.

"Are you alright?" Cynthia asked, worry lacing her voice.

"I'll distract him." Harry said crawling to the other side of the troll.

She frowned. Her eyes widened at the realisation of what he was about to do.

"It'll kill you."

"I'll be alright." He said, his arms trembling as he continued his crawl to the other side. The troll so wrapped up in it's own victory didn't notice as this transpired under it's nose.

"What if something bad happens to you?"

"Are you worried?"

Cynthia smacked him on the leg.

"Of course I'm worried, you fool."

"I'll be alright." He said with a sad smile. It was as though he were about to face his death.

"You better be, if you die..."

Harry chuckled.

"Who would have thought you had a sense of humour." He murmured.

"Don't die." She whispered under her breath, trying to convince herself that he'd remain unscathed.

"Over here, bad breath." He yelled calling out to the ugly troll.

The troll seemed to have been angered by the distraction and turned towards Harry, his club held above his head, poised and ready to strike.

Just as the troll swung the club over his head about to hit Harry. Harry rolled to the side as the club hit the ground.

Harry's arms reached out to his back pocket where his wand was located and looked to be fishing it out.

Where was his wand?

Cynthia looked at Harry with horror. What was he doing?

The troll lifted the club where it had landed next to Harry intending on striking him when his guard was down.

'Wait, he's a wizard. Where's his wand?' She thought. 'Could he have dropped it when he fell off my back?'

Cynthia looked around and that is when she spotted the wand in the nearby grass some ways away. As she made to grab for her, her legs twitched with pain.

Slowly she knelt on her front leg lunging for the wand in the grass.

Closer and closer.

It was within her grasp, just several centimetres away.

The troll tried to swing his club at him once again.

It was only a matter of time before Harry lost his energy considering the troll seemed to have massive stamina.

Desperate now, her fingers reached out some more pulling on the muscles in her arm as her hands wrapped around his wand and tossed it to Harry.

"Here's your wand." She shouted.

The troll turned and looked at her then looked at the boy confused. Harry used this time to plant a sticking charm on his club which was embedded in the ground.

In a matter of minutes, the troll suddenly seemed to register what was going on and grabbed his club. It struggled to pull the club off the ground.

So wrapped up in getting it's club from off the ground that Cynthia used this distraction and got closer pinning her spear in it's arm.

The troll howled pulling back and taking her spear with it. It thrashed in pain punching at Harry and Cynthia barely missing them.

"Run! Harry."

Harry grabbed her by the arm and they ran until they got outside of the forest to the safety of Hogwarts grounds.

The relief was short lived however. Argus Filch was standing outside the castle staring at them smugly, stroking the cat in his hands.

"Well, well look who was stepped out of the Forbidden Forest." He said smugly. "The headmaster would certainly love to hear about this."

A fear that was very similar to the one he had experienced with that troll, welled up in his chest. He turned and saw that Cynthia might have shared in his grief if the frown on her face told him anything.

"Get inside." Filch told the boy.

Harry reluctantly followed him inside the castle and continued their trek until they were outside the headmaster's office.

"Sherbert lemons."

The door opened and Filch shoved the boy inside. Harry turned and saw Filch glaring at him. Swallowing visibly Harry walked slowly up the stairs and entered Dumbledore's office.

Inside he could see Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall conversing heatedly on opposite sides of the desk in the room.

Fawkes as usual was on his perch, his head conceiled by his red wings.

The two teachers looked up as he entered the room. Professor McGonagall breathed a sigh of relief.

"Oh there you are." She said, looking very relieved.

"He was in the Forbidden Forest." Filch said, coming in from behind Harry.

Professor McGonagall gasped.

Dumbledore turned and looked at Harry. His lips were curled in a frown.

"Is this true, Harry?"

Harry nodded in agreement. His lips in a straight line as if he was about to be executed to death.

"I'm disappointed in you, Harry."

Harry felt his heart well up with pain but thinking about it he hadn't regretted going with Cynthia into the forest so why should he feel so bad?

It put him in danger but he understood the adults in his life and how they looked after him even if it could be argued that they were the cause of the danger he'd always found himself in.

Still a part of himself had known what he was getting into and even if it compromised his safety he would of went with her anyway. With love came sacrifices and if it meant making her happy it was worth it and Dumbledore had no say in it.

"I think detention is in order, wouldn't you agree Professor McGonagall?"

The woman hesitated looking at the boy with a touch of concern.

"Are you alright, Mr Potter?"

"I'm fine." Harry lied, the last thing he needed was the concern from his head of house.

"That's good." She said, a smile present on her face. She looked very relieved.

Still Harry couldn't help but think there was more to it.

"Then I'll be looking forward to your detention every Friday for the remainder of the school year." She said sternly.

Harry nodded. He had already accepted his punishment the moment he went off with Cynthia.

HPSS

As Harry was heading back to the Gryffindor common room, he nearly crashed into Draco and his friends.

"Ah Potter." He called out to him with a malicious sneer on his face. "How lovely to see you."

"What do you want, Malfoy?" He growled.

Draco pranced around, walking circles around Harry.

"Oh nothing. It's just I wouldn't have thought I'd catch you here walking alone on the way to your common room? Where's Weasley?"

Harry noted that he didn't seem to hold any concern for his friend but was digging for any fuel to goad his goat.

"That's not any of your business." Harry said coolly.

"I'd have thought he'd be beyond himself seeing his best friend condoning in bestiality."

"How would you know anything about that?"

"I saw you Potter outside with your little girlfriend. I think I'm smart enough to put two and two together."

"Could have fooled me."

Draco snarled.

"I didn't think you'd enjoy the company of such vile creatures. You must tell me how it works out for you."

"Vile? You're the vile one, Malfoy."

"Vile, I wonder what people will say about your children. I imagine the rumours would be nasty. Who's that child standing next to Harry Potter? Why does his son have four legs? Don't tell me that Harry Potter had children with that vile creature? Their children must be so ashamed, 'Why do we have four legs?' 'Father, are we really filthy half-breeds?'" Draco mocked.

Harry lunged for him, his hand around the scruff of his robes.

"What no come back, Potter?" Draco asked smugly.

Harry eased his grip. Hermione's words came to mind...and he couldn't help but think how this fight could benefit him...if anything it was giving him satisfaction riling up his anger.

He wouldn't give Malfoy the satisfaction because he had feeling any second Snape would come around the corner and scold him for messing up the boy's face and it wasn't worth it.

"You let your guard down." He said before kicking Harry in the groin causing him to fall on his knees before him.

"POTTER!"

Harry knew that voice anywhere. Whether or not he was pleased to hear it however was another story. He turned and looked up to see none other than Professor Snape.

"What were you doing to Mr Malfoy?"

Harry winced. The pain in his groin had rendered him speechless...that ungrateful little prick. He wouldn't dare give any of those slytherins the satisfaction in knowing that they hurt him.

"He threatened me and tried to choke me. See the marks on my neck." Draco said, removing his robes a couple of centimetres to expose his neck before Harry could utter another word.

Snape gave the marks on his neck an intense scrutiny.

"Threatening a student is against the school rules just because you feel a certain sense of superiority does not mean that the headmaster will always be so lenient with you, Potter." He said glaring at Harry.

Harry ignored him trying to recover his wits. He honestly wouldn't even care if the man laughed at his misery. What would he have done? Tell the man that Draco had kicked him in the groin. Snape would not have believed him. The man thought him troublesome and conceited as it was.

"5 points from Gryffindor, Potter. Detention for the remainder of the school year. Come along, Mr Malfoy." Snape said turning his back on the two of them and turning the corner.

Draco remained smirking down at Potter.

"That's a good look for you, Potter. You look good kneeling down at my knees." He said with a smug grin.

Harry looked up and glared at him. Draco glared at the defiance in his eyes.

"Crabbe! Goyle! Take care of this rubbish."

The two brutish bodyguards walked towards Harry surrounding him from the front and the back.

Draco chuckled evilly leaving his 'bodyguards' alone with his rival and following Snape with his head held high like someone of profound arrogance.

Harry winced as he got to his feet and that was when Crabbe issued a punch to his stomach and Goyle had his arms outstretched holding him by the abdomen.

"You!" Harry spat angrily.

When Crabbe seemed angered by his defiance and punched him across the face. Blood dripping from the left of Harry's lower lip.

Then the two ran off leaving Harry alone. He winced. Though there was no pain where Crabbe had punched him across the face, his stomach hurt. The pain was blinding.

At this point however he was more closer to the Gryffindor common room than the hospital wing and thought it prudent to exert all of his effort into making it there.

'I have to get the fat lady.' He thought gathering his feet and walking slowly clutching his stomach as though it would ease the pain.

With every step he took the pain shot through his stomach and Harry wanted nothing more than to sit back down and wait for the pain to ease.

If he was anything however Harry was persistant. He kept pushing himself every couple of steps and would lean against the wall to rest when necessary. Eventually he got to the stairs that had eventually landed so that Harry could tread to the first floor.

Everything felt hot and disorienting. A wave of nausea came in like a flash flood at a beach.

"Potter! Potter! PO-tter..." The voice began to fade away and Harry was only attuned to the sound of his heart beating.

"POTTER!" A man kneeled before him flashing his hand back and forth in front of his face.

"POTTER, can you hear me?"

All Harry could hear was the sound of his heart beating...the sound of running water. The pain in his stomach was blinding.

"POTTER, snap out of it."

Then suddenly the light fell away and there was blackness.

HPSS

Snapping in and out of consciousness, Harry thought he could see familiar black eyes gazing at him through curtains of black hair.

The man made to grab his chin examining his face. Sharp black eyes gazed at his face and a finger seemed to catch some blood on the side of his mouth.

His fingers pulled away. How unlike him? Why did he come back? There was no way he would have came back out of any concern for Harry.

Were his eyes deceiving him? He was certain that the potion professor had walked off with Malfoy.

Snape held out his wand and whipped it over Harry. His fingers prodded his stomach.

"Ooh, hurts." Harry moaned softly through gritted teeth.

"I thought this might have been the case."

'What is Snape talking about?' Harry thought.

"It seems Mr Malfoy has acquired his father's skill in composing very unconvincing lies."

Harry faded out of consciousness. Snape looked on at Harry with a smug smirk.

"Of course if he had more skill in subtlety perhaps he might have been able to pull it off but I'm not easily fooled." He said. "It's a real shame he can't keep his mouth shut. He might have pulled a convincing lie otherwise. It wouldn't be like you if you were to seriously threaten to kill him would it, Potter? Such fools would be a waste of time for you, wouldn't they?"

It was said with such profound distaste that many would have thought he was disgusted with the boy.

'Disgusted? Indeed...if anyone could have been more foolish.' He thought irritably as he thought back on that miserable excuse for a boy. Draco was a bully...there was no question about that. If Snape hated anything it was a person who bullied the defenceless.

He may have hated Harry Potter but there was no denying the fact that Draco and his friends had physically harmed the boy to such an extreme extent.

If it happened in the reverse it would have been so easy to punish Potter but through the past 3 years Snape was slightly aware of the boy's actions. One might say he was more hyper aware than any teacher should be for their student.

From protecting the boy and by extension watching over him, there was no denying that the boy had his share of good traits that seemed to come in par with his bad traits so to speak.

Against his will he had acquired knowledge on the boy and somehow through all of this Snape had known the boy well enough to know that he wouldn't have threatened Draco at all.

Had he paid attention when he caught Harry and Draco with their fights in the halls? The memory of the fights were quite vivid in his mind. Draco would insult either Weasley, Granger or Potter. Potter and Weasley would rise to the bait and Granger would try to stop them.

There was never an issue that involved threats towards Draco's person.

Still a part of himself wanted to hold on to his hatred for the boy. There was a part of him that felt it would dishonour Lily's memory if he was to forget. He wanted to blame her husband and by extension her son because it was easier than accepting that Lily was dead.

It was easy to accept Dumbledore's task in accepting the boy as long as he could think of how much he hated him. His task had been in honour of her memory...an entirely selfish reason to begin with.

So why did he come back for the boy? He could have revelled in the boy's suffering...and he could have lied to himself and said it was because of Dumbledore but he didn't want to.

Maybe it was because he had felt pity for the boy, maybe it was because he had been in a similar situation at one point, something about the boy was familiar and reminded him very much of another man.

This same man having with the same open defiance in his eyes, who always seemed to hold a healthy amount of ambition enough to pursue his goals especially when it concerned one of his friends, and he always seemed to hold strong moral values. Snape always envied this man even admired him, a part of him might have even loved and cared for him in his own way.

Snape envied the loyalty that Harry had his friends...the boy held all those traits. His loyalty towards Hermione Granger was downright admirable.

That was one of the reasons why Snape found it hard to hate the boy for it because he knew what it was like to have someone stab you in the back and the feeling of loneliness that came from the scorn of your own peers.

'If the boy has the potential for kindness it would do the world good to have someone like him around.' Snape thought staring at Harry with deep thought.

Snape who was already on his knees, turned and conjured a stretcher.

"I hope you're thankful for this, Potter."

He sighed and got to his feet, lifting the boy and placing him on the stretcher conjuring it to follow him.

End Notes:

1. In response to the review: How can Rabastan be married with a job when his older brother Rodolphus is still a Hogwarts student?

In case any reader was curious, this is entirely intentional and it will be covered later as to why that is.


	12. Chapter 12

Warning: Implied sexual content.

Chapter 12: September 3, 1965: Secrets

From the first two days of classes, Hermione had retrieved most of her school books so she took her time studying them. The next day after classes Hermione ran into Stacy.

"I'm sorry about yesterday. I was just so scared."

"It's alright. I made a study group with me, Karen and Bridgette if you want to study with us."

"Ah, yes." She said with bright eyes.

The two headed to the library where Karen and Bridgette were already sitting down with their books sprawled out on the table.

All throughout the study group however Stacy would talk about her day, bragging about how the local boys gave her the looksee and how some girls had seemed to be avoiding her and giving her a cold shoulder.

"Why would they be doing that? Is it something I did?"

Something that Hermione admired about her had ultimately been her greatest flaw.

Karen's eyes were focused on something else while Bridgette tensed in her seat. Hermione could tell she was really annoyed.

It must have been difficult for her to concentrate while Stacy was talking.

Eventually she had enough.

"Do you have to continue babbling on like the world owes you a living? Maybe people despise you because you yap like an old angry harpy."

Stacy quieted down.

Bridgette got up and stomped away...Hermione assumed she was heading out to vent off some steam.

"Am I really that annoying?" Stacy asked.

Hermione shook her head.

The three continued on their homework for the remainder of the day before heading to their respective common rooms for the rest of the day.

Hermione found the girl's rooms empty for the most part except for Bridgette who was lying on her bed.

"Why were you so angry earlier?" Hermione asked curiously sitting beside her bed.

"I don't know. Something about her just irks me." She said twirling her fingers through her curls. "The way she talks as if the world owes her a living. The world is never so nice."

Hermione didn't know what she felt but she thought that the warm feeling it induced might have been sympathy.

Of course, she didn't really know about the angst and anguish that came with a cursed life because it just so happened that her parents were employed and were still happily married.

"My father split from my mother when I was only 5. She..."

Bridgette made a choking sound from behind her.

Hermione turned and saw the tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Are you alright?"

"She was so upset so distraught, so helpless. She took care of me and it hurt her. Her heart...is weak." Bridgette explained. "She would always be in the hospital. My father was never there for her. That's why to hear her say that..."

Of course a girl like Stacy born and raised in a rich pureblood family would be used to getting their own way all the time. So it would make sense if such terrible things never happened to her that she couldn't sympathise with Bridgette's problems.

"I don't think she'd understand..." Hermione said.

"I know. It'll be alright I think." Bridgette said wiping her tears from her face. "Are we still doing the study group tomorrow?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

"I'm heading to bed see you in the morning." Hermione said.

The next day continued as before. There was the study group after class as usual however Hermione spent her times afterwards conducting her own research on the side.

Looking through books trying to make sense on how she could have possibly teleported here and how to get back to her future.

This continued for about a couple weeks until one day. Professor Dumbledore had stopped her after she had finished Charms with Professor Flitwick.

"How are you doing in your classes so far, Ms Lestrange?"

"Fine, I guess."

"Your teachers had some concerns that you may fail their classes. What's going on?" Dumbledore asked, his eyes looking grave.

"My knowledge is a little rusty I guess." She said as she couldn't very well tell him that she had missed the last 18 weeks of school.

"I hope you'll improve. I'm kind of concerned about your grades."

"Don't worry I will."

After her final classes of the day she headed to the library to start the study group. Unfortunately everyone had to quit early but Hermione used to opportunity to continue her research.

Hermione was so wrapped up in her books she hadn't noticed Bridgette creeping up from behind her as she was reading books that were very significant in her quest in finding a way to get back to her time.

"What are you doing?"

Hermione recoiled in horror.

She turned and saw Bridgette. Her bright blue eyes were narrowed in suspicion.

"Why are you reading about time travel?" She asked. Bridgette picked up the other books and looked at the titles.

"These are all about time travel. Wait, could it be that you're from the future?" Bridgette asked. "I was wondering why you were still in the library after we were finished studying?"

"You can't tell anyone." Hermione said through gritting teeth.

"I know, it's illegal right?" She said, her eyes focused elsewhere. It was as if the information hadn't sunk in. "Wait, could that be the reason you were failing your classes?"

"How did you-? You didn't spy on me did you?" Hermione asked, irritation lacing her voice.

Bridgette pulled away and sat on the chair across from her. She looked down as if she couldn't bear to look Hermione in the eye and her face was red as if she was ashamed of herself.

"I'm sorry. I was just concerned...you know?"

Hermione sighed.

"I missed the last 18 weeks of class during my fourth year in school so I don't know about the material that was covered."

"Oh, I still have my notes. I kept them from last year. I could help you if you like. My mum keeps them in a special compartment in my room. If I write her then maybe."

"Thank you Bridgette."

Bridgette smiled.

"You're welcome."

HPSS

If Rabastan hated one thing, it was the simple fact that Molly often spent her days avoiding him for quite sometime.

He felt neglected and ignored.

'My services don't come for free. She could at least talk to me once and a while. What does she do everyday in that library anyway?' He thought.

Rabastan had seen her there a couple of times usually with the company of three girls.

Today on the day before the night of the full moon as he stepped into the library however her only company seemed to be that blonde with the long curly hair.

He wouldn't let her ignore him any longer.

"Hey!"

"Hey!"

"You know it's rude to leave your 'brother' hanging." Rabastan said coolly.

"What do you want?" Hermione asked.

"What are you doing?" He asked curiously.

"We're studying."

"Looks to me like you're reading the textbook."

"So what if I am?"

"Why go through all that effort when you could simply skim through to the answers?"

"You wouldn't retain the knowledge that way." Hermione said, her eyes closed and her nose stuck up in the air. It was as though she had thought the answer obvious.

She opened her eyes and saw Rabastan looking a little shaken if the wide eyes and the upturned curl of his lips were any indication. It was a sad kind of smile that seemed forcibly planted on his face.

He tended to smile like that when he was nervous.

"Could it be you're having trouble in your classes?"

"Not at all."

His smile hadn't faltered and Hermione knew he was lying.

"You must be the type of person that does the bare minimum. A day before the tests and you're cramming answers in your head."

Much to his fury, Hermione seemed a little smug about it as if she knew she was right.

"But Hermione, not too long ago you were-"

Hermione glared at the blonde girl.

"It'd seem you yourself had the same trouble."

She turned to glare at him.

"That'd be the past tense. I'm doing quite well thank you very much. I simply needed to catch up on my studies is all. My grades have long since improved since that time. That's more than I can say for you."

"I can read the textbook and pass off what I've read as knowledge as well. That's not true intelligence." He said, his voice tickling her ear as he peered over her shoulder to see what they were reading.

Hermione closed the book.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't hover over my shoulder to see what we're reading. If you want to learn create your own study group." She snapped.

"What's wrong with joining yours?" He asked.

"You can't."

"And why not?" Rabastan spat irritably, his voice raising an octave. Any second he would snap in anger. The way his jaw twitched reminded her of Severus Snape.

"Because I said so." Hermione snapped with equal fervor.

"You can't dictate my actions...I'll do what I want." He said sitting next to her.

Hermione huffed and remain stubborn, refraining from opening the books that were set out on the table.

Rabastan's lips drew closer to her right ear. His cool breath brushing against her ear sending chills down her spine.

"If you don't let me study with you, I'll tell everyone your secret."

Hermione turned red in the face and glared at Rabastan.

"That's cruel. That's practically blackmail."

"You wouldn't call yourself, cruel? You have the nerve to insult my intelligence in front of your friend." He said dangerously.

"It's your fault. Maybe if you didn't act so stupid..." Hermione said opening the textbook. She could feel Rabastan glaring daggers on the side of her head.

"Um..." Bridgette said anxiously. "I got to go."

After Bridgette had left Hermione and Rabastan were by themselves managing to get most of their studying done.

"So how are you doing on your research?" Rabastan asked. "Have you found a way to get back to your time?"

"None at all but I have done extensive research on the charm I used to travel forward into time and have concluded that I might not have thought this out at all. The reason why it sent me to this time was because of the extent of my magic." Hermione explained. "The charm steals another person's time to travel forward in the future but to steal time requires a lot of magical power."

"Something you don't have."

"Right."

"Theoretically since I've already stole your brother's time to travel forward to this time. He should be waking up."

"Oh."

"I have to trigger this by returning his flow of time."

"I assume there must be some chance of failure."

"There was a huge chance of failure but I think I'll be alright. I was attacked by your father but I'm still here right?"

"What would've happened if you failed?"

"I could've been dead or I could've been stuck in a time loop."

Rabastan's eyes darted up in deep thought as his hand cupped his lower chin. He seemed to be thinking about something.

After study lessons, Hermione was heading back to the Gryffindor common room when something caught the edge of her vision. Someone was exiting that dark corridor...a girl with short red hair to be exact.

'Stacy?'

Quickly Hermione hid in the shadows.

The girl looked smug about something. Careful to remain hidden in the shadows, Hermione around the edge of the corridor nearly gasping at what she saw.

The tallest of the two Prewett twins stood in wait as Bridgette approaching them timidly.

"I'm here." She said softly.

"Good as I'm looking forward to ravishing you tonight." He said in a husky voice as he pushed her against the wall.

His lips furiously met hers and Hermione saw that her arms wrapped around him. His other hand removed her skirt and panties in one sweap and lifted her legs so that they circled around his waist.

As if attracted by forces beyond his control he entered her, ravishing the flesh along the column of her neck.

His hands drew up her thighs massaging the flesh of her thighs.

Hermione's own fingers unconsciously drifted beneath her skirt brushing against her underwear. She was wet and excited just from seeing it.

One of her fingers found her most sacred place and she began to entice herself moving against the fingers buried in her heat.

She could almost hear the girl whispering in the boy's ear.

"Faster..."

He quickly rutted against her and she giggled.

"What's so funny?" The boy asked he didn't seem to amused.

"You're tickling me, Fabian."

His wet tongue traced the exterior of her left ear while his other hand pulled her lower body closer to his.

Her groans grew louder and her voice became more pleading.

"Harder.

Hermione gasped at the pleasure this induced. She was getting off from seeing her friends having sex with a guy. How sick was she?

"Please..." Bridgette gasped. "Have me."

He pulled out of her and turned her around, entering her from behind. His lips traveled down her spine, licking and kissing it as if he were really enjoying himself.

Hermione was overwhelmed by the pleasure this produced. She could feel it building, any minute she'd come in her panties.

"Oh." Bridgette gasped. Fabian's hands reached beneath her shirt to fondle her and she screamed with the intensity of pleasure as he pulled her closer.

Hermione felt overwhelmed with arousal as she came in her panties.

It was only natural seeing it that she would get aroused but she couldn't help but feel ashamed as the uncomfortable wetness between her legs.

She felt like taking a shower maybe a hot steaming shower.

With her head hung down, Hermione walked back to the common room.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: February 21, 1975: The Calm before the Storm

Several questions were on Snape's mind as he was heading back to the Slytherin common room. Though Lucius had long since left Hogwarts it didn't stop him from walking with Severus.

One thing that bothered Severus the most was how Rabastan and his wife had two children without anyone really noticing.

Lestrange just seemed to appear out of left field encroaching on the house of Slytherin very stealthily.

Slughorn seemed to be under the delusion that Harry Lestrange had been attending Hogwarts since his first year but Snape knew better.

Snape had vivid memories of the students in his house. He had to for cautionary measures. Even though many would believe that Potter and his cronies were the only bullies he had to face, there were plenty of people in Slytherin who despised him as well.

Lestrange seemed to had seemed to sneak in like a snake would sneak on their prey and everyone was oblivious to this.

"Lucius."

The older blond turned towards Snape.

"What is it, Severus?" He asked curiously.

"You know Rabastan and his wife pretty well don't you?"

"Not really." Lucius said, looking at Snape suspiciously. Snape knew he was being deliberately obtuse.

"I only asked because it seems very suspicious that the two mention having son who is in their fourth year when they were only finishing their seventh year when I was attending my first year at Hogwarts."

"I'll admit that the circumstances do appear suspicious. You'd think I'd remember someone who had attended Hogwarts here if he was in the same year as you were." Lucius said. "I do believe that Molly may in fact be trying sabotage. Her husband is a spy for the dark lord after all."

"Really? Doesn't Rabastan work for the DMLE?"

Lucius chuckled.

"So young yet so naïve."

Snape scowled.

"Well in any case you seem to be silent about the matter."

"You haven't thought of one thing, Severus. Her son does not necessary have to be one who was born into the family. Molly said she adopted him and his brother earlier this year. Seeing as she adopted them she must have seen some potential in their magic and could very well be seeing if they are good enough to join the dark lord's cause."

Snape sighed. Eventually the two had made it outside Slytherin's portrait.

"So can I get a smooch. I think I deserve one after walking you here this entire way and certainly after you were getting cozy with Lestrange." He said, sulking pathetically.

Snape scowled.

"Cozy? He isn't a fop like you."

Lucius chuckled as if he were inwardly amused about something. 'Isn't a fop indeed.'

"What has you so smug?"

Lucius' hands reached out to stoke Snape's cheek with his fingers before they clinched on the bottom of his chin. Just as he lunged to give Snape a kiss on the lips, Snape pulled away and punched him across the face knocking Lucius to the ground.

"That hurt." Lucius said licking his lip where Snape had caused it to bleed.

"Then don't kiss me." He said coolly.

Lucius chuckled inwardly.

He couldn't forget the way Lestrange had his hand planted on Snape's shoulder as if it belonged there. That smug glance gave the impression that he was confident in his standing with him and that Lucius would never come between them.

If Snape's words had any merit however Lestrange had just as much of a chance as he did and that was comforting enough.

HPSS

If anyone had known Harry at all they would have known he was slow to trust and quick to distrust. There was no denying that Rabastan and his brother were both evil people however at the same time something about that scenario bugged him.

Rodolphus happened to be Rabastan's older brother not the other way around. It was obvious at first glance that while Rabastan looked like an adult, Rodolphus was in fact attending Hogwarts as a fourth year.

Remus had told him that Rodolphus was older than Rabastan. Five years older to be exact. So why was Rodolphus still at Hogwarts while his brother was working with DMLE. Something didn't add up.

While in the past he would think nothing of it, his experiences had aided him in not making assumptions before collecting the facts and at the moment Harry was unsure of anything.

At the same time however it would be foolish to not tread the deadly waters with caution.

The introduction to Rabastan was brief and Harry was relieved when he finally exited Hermione's office to head back to the Slytherin common room.

Inside the common room, Snape seemed to be the only one present. He was currently sitting on the couch his nose glued inside the book he was reading.

"So how did it go?" He asked not looking up to see who it was.

"It was fine." Harry said cautiously.

Snape didn't seem too surprised that it was him. Quite amazing guess work for someone whose eyes were glued into their book.

"You looked a little uncomfortable."

"I can say the same for you. Does Lucius flirt with you often?"

Snape growled looking up from his book.

"That's a vulgar way of putting it."

"Vulgar? He does it just the same." Harry pointed out, scoffing at Snape's audicity.

"Is that supposed to be your idea of a joke?"

"My idea of a joke? You're the one beating around the bush. You can't even admit to yourself that he was actually flirting with you."

"I'd prefer not to be bothered with such things. If you are just going to laugh about it I'd prefer that you do it in your own private abode."

"You're clearly mistaking me from someone else. I would never joke about such a thing." Harry retorted, surprised and angered that the boy would proclaim such a thing. "If it's something you dislike you should be upfront about it. Ignoring the problem is not going to make it go away, you know."

"You don't think I know that." Snape snarled. "You have no idea what Malfoy has put me through."

Harry huffed. Even though the two had expressed frustration for two completely different things, he imagined that he had enough frustration of his own with his feelings for Snape.

He kind of felt sorry for Lucius Malfoy. He must have been used to dealing with his unrequited love for Snape. Inwardly he thought he could relate with this one small thing.

Harry shook his head. Now he was becoming too soft, he'd never feel sorry for a Malfoy.

In any case Snape mistook Harry's silence for a lack of a prudent response to his declarations and turned back to his book seeming satisfied with Harry's silence.

Harry sighed and went to bed.

The next day Harry headed off to breakfast before treading to Professor McGonagall's class for Transfiguration.

Most of the students were lined up outside her classroom.

Harry turned from his spot in line at the sound of footsteps treading up the stairs.

Professor McGonagall was looking much younger with her wrinkleless face and brown hair tied in a bun. Harry was used to seeing wrinkles on her face and specks of her grey hair mixed in her brown hair.

She headed to the door of her classroom and opened the door with her wand.

"Come in." She said.

For most of the class, Professor McGonagall seemed absorbed in her lesson so to speak teaching more complex techniques of transfiguration. Most of the things covered in her class were very familiar.

Harry could feel himself growing drowsy. He was half tempted to sleep during class.

HP

Snape's eyes were planted on Harry. He, Muliciber and Avery were sitting towards the back of the classroom. It was simply by chance that Harry had sat in the row in front of them.

Avery had thought it a good idea to attempt to fold a paper airplane thoroughly tuning out Professor McGonagall's lecture. Muliciber did the same thing, his eyes enticed with Avery's talents so to speak.

What could be interesting about paper airplanes though, Snape couldn't even guess.

Snape was bored out of his mind. His hands itched to do something.

Harry who was sitting right in front of him was slouching somewhat almost as if he were about to fall asleep.

'Idiot.' He thought staring at the back of his head. As time progressed however the sight of his hair began to irritate him. 'It's even messy like Potter's.'

He was sick of looking at the ugly mop and wanted to give him word about it.

Muliciber elbowed him in the side giving Snape a smug grin, pointing at Harry and holding up his new paper airplane.

Snape chuckled inwardly. 'That ought to get his attention.'

Muliciber took his grin as acknowledgement and threw the airplane in such a fashion that it hit the back of Harry's head.

The boy didn't stir.

'Is he fast asleep or is he ignoring it?' Snape thought irritably.

"Mr Lestrange!"

"Which one?" Rodolphus asked.

"Harry."

"Yes, ma'am?"

"When transfiguring unmovable objects in to living creatures what is the most important thing to remember?" She asked.

"Always remember to take in the accordance of the size of the object that you are transfiguring." Harry said groggily.

Snape was confused. He would have sworn that Harry was asleep. There was no way he could have told her the answer unless he had paid attention which he knew for a fact that he hadn't been.

Harry's head in an instant was flat against the desk.

"Pay attention, Lestrange." Snape hissed from behind him.

Harry got up and turned around staring at Snape with confusion in his eyes.

Avery and Muliciber stiffled their laughter.

'Does he have to look so idiotic?' Snape thought irritably.

He looked like a fool with the way he looked at him as if he had just woken up from a long nap.

Snape sighed.

HPSS

After class Harry was heading to herbology the only class besides charms that they didn't have with Gryffindor. His bag was slung around his shoulder as he headed for the greenhouses.

Suddenly a woosh of wind slipped by his ears and Harry could feel his bag growing lighter as its contents spilled on the floor.

Harry turned and peered at the bottom of his bag. It seemed someone had burned a hole on the bottom of the bag.

He knelt to collect his things. Luckily the bag could be repaired but he wondered who would have the nerve to do such a thing.

His journey to the greenhouses took longer than expected and he was late for Professor Sprout's class.

"5 points from Slytherin, Lestrange."

Harry sighed. He peered around and saw Snape, Muliciber and Avery already sitting down so Harry took a seat next to Rodolphus and set his things down on the table.

"What happened to you?" He whispered.

"Nothing really." Harry said waving his wand over his bag, repairing it so it was as good as new.

"You were late to class and your bag was destroyed. I think I could put two and two together." Rodolphus whispered.

"I don't care what you think. It's none of your business." He hissed.

Rodolphus frowned but remained silent.

While the two had talked, Harry had remained oblivious to Snape who was looking at Harry with a touch of concern.

What was the matter with them, he knew that Harry was somewhat of a slacker but Rodolphus didn't need to concern himself with him. He was late to class and that was the end of it.

After the hour had transpired and the students excused, Harry was stopped just as he was about to head out of the greenhouses.

"Lestrange!"

Harry whirled around and saw Snape was running towards him.

"Hey!"

Snape caught up to him and walked alongside Harry.

"Sometimes I just don't understand you."

"What are you talking about?" Harry asked curiously.

"You have an ambition, right?"

Where was this coming from? There was no way Snape would have asked that question unless he was honestly curious.

"Where are you going with this?"

As the two were walking a couple of Gryffindors began to bunch together blending in with the crowds of children in the halls.

"What were your reasons in approaching me? You said you wanted to be my friend. There must have been a good reason. There was a specific time you approached me...anyone else wouldn't have bothered. Most of the Slytherins know better than to approach me when I'm around Avery or Muliciber. Yet you did." Snape said. "I thought you had wanted knowledge."

Harry chuckled.

"That's exactly what I wanted yes."

'The simple minded fool.' Snape thought, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and pointer finger.

A gryffindor with short black hair peered at the crowd, glaring at the two of them.

"McLaggen? Is that the Slytherin that you and Jordan were talking about?"

Snape caught sight of Sirius Black at the corner of his eye talking with the two gryffindors and glared at them.

Black was acting very suspicious. Snape continued glaring at him listening to Harry with open ears. It seemed Potter wasn't going to show up today.

"Could have fooled me. You were sleeping in Transfiguration. It's as if you couldn't be bothered. How do I know you don't treat all of your subjects that way?"

Snape turned and saw Sirius had his wand pointed towards Harry's back. He slowed down his pace. What exactly had he done?

Snape saw a rope attached to one of the armoured helmets in the halls, it ran down the roof. Further along the hall a bucket had been attached to the ceiling.

He turned to scowl at Sirius.

Sirius gave Snape a smug grin.

What was Snape going to do? Save his life or let Harry suffer? In either case it served to his advantage. James had been talking about the new boy stalking Snape.

'What could he see in Snape?' He had asked. 'I don't understand. Who knows the last time that git ever took a bath. It's a shame. Lestrange seems like a nice guy.'

'Anyone who can sleep through class and still turn out smart is fine in my book.'

'It's only a matter of making him see sense.' James had said with a grin.

If Snape pitched in to step in or move Harry out of the buckets path, he'd be humiliated in front of the entire student population. Even if Snape didn't move in Harry's path to prevent the bucket from dropping on Harry's head, Sirius was sure that he wouldn't forgive Snape and break off his friendship with him.

"Oh...that?" Harry asked surprised that Snape even took notice. "I didn't know you were paying any attention to me. Did you see something you liked?"

Snape blushed.

"DON'T change the subject." He said turning away.

Harry grasped his chin and turned him so that he was staring right into his eyes. Snape's face was red it looked to a rather fitting contrast with the rest of his body.

"Don't you think red is a nice colour?" Harry asked pinning the younger boy against the wall.

Snape stared at him looking surprised.

"Don't say such absurd things." He said pulling away. By the way he conceiled his face with his curtains of black hair, Harry could tell that the boy was flustered. "Do you even have a brain or are you intending on using me to cheat on your homework to compensate for your lack of intelligence? I will not be manipulated into being your guinea pig."

So more or less Snape was asking him whether he possessed any intelligence or if he was using him so to speak.

He was insulted. Harry wasn't a Slytherin thank you very much. That was in another time in another universe. He may have taken on a new identity that was sorted into Slytherin however Harry was a Gryffindor at heart.

Harry huffed.

Sirius waved his wand so that the rope that held the other side of the bucket was unfastened. The bucket not having enough of a strong hold moved down, the liquid about to drinch Harry.

"Think what you'd like." He said holding the wand in the air as the bucket started pouring down. He didn't look up nor did he look back. The rope on the bucket began to unfasten and the bucket moved backwards on its own, showering the students including Sirius and the two Gryffindors beside him with water balloons.

Snape turned around at the sound of something of something splashing on the ground. The bucket that Sirius had intended on using had backfired and it seemed to be spawning water balloons on them.

It was an incredible feat in transfiguration to make the bucket spawn water balloons like that. H-l, it was an incredible feat of magic just to remove the rope from the bucket and move the bucket alone. A wizard had to have an incredible amount of focus to even pull that off.

Snape wondered how many he had spawned in that bucket. He had seen the contents of the bucket about to fall on Harry's head for some reason he had known that the bucket was there and caused the bucket to head in the other direction.

"Do you think that I honestly would sleep in class if I didn't know the material?"

Snape sighed. He had to admit that was pretty impressive. Snape turned and saw Sirius was scowling at them, drinched and soaked kind of like a wet dog. It was a good look on him.

Snape gave him a malicious smirk.

'Lestrange.' Sirius growled inwardly. He gritted his teeth, seething with anger. One day he'd get his revenge.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: February 25, 1995: Premonition

Remaining in the shadows of the forest, Cynthia watched Harry head inside the castle alongside that old man.

Once he was out of sight, Cynthia turned to head back. Suddenly a sharp pain radiated through her front leg and she got to her knees.

'Hopefully it will ease off.' Cynthia thought sighing. If only Harry could bring her back but she knew better than to dwell on the impossibilities. 'He's in enough trouble as it is. It's my fault he even got wrapped it in this mess.'

Unfortunately there was no way anyone from her clan would come looking for her so she'd have to walk home by herself. If she treaded slowly and took her time...'I'll make it eventually. I have my spear.'

Slowly she limped on home and was greeted by Ahalaror.

"Cynthia, where have you been? What happened to your leg?"

"We ran into a troll that's all."

"You two? Were you so wrapped up in your little love fest that you didn't see it?"

Cynthia turned red.

"That's not it at all. We saw the trees, I just didn't know that it was still there."

Ahalaror snorted, folding her arms.

"You know if this were any other person, I'd have given him a big scolding letting a young girl walk back by herself. Hah, in my day the man always walked the woman home. Come along child. Huna should be able to patch you right up."

Ahalaror held out her hand and Cynthia took it eagerly.

The two walked into one of the tents were a young woman with long curly black hair sat down. She was surrounded by various potions scattered across a rug of animal hide.

Ahalaror led Cynthia around the tent until she was sitting in front of her.

"I'm so sorry about this, Huna. I know you're busy and all."

"It's all right, Ahalaror." The woman with the black hair said softly. She turned to glance at Cynthia.

"What's wrong?" Huna asked.

"It's my leg." Cynthia replied holding out her right leg.

Huna glanced over her leg before looking up to glance at her.

"What caused these injuries?"

"We had a run in with the troll and..."

"We?" Huna's tone was calm, but the air of disaster was lingering around the corner. She was probing.

"Me and my boyfriend."

"Was it that boy from earlier?"

The air grew tense as Huna was on the search for answers.

Cynthia swallowed, nodding in agreement.

"You're very foolish." Huna said frostily. Her icy blue eyes looked directly at her seeming to stare deep in her soul. "That boy must be rubbing off on you."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"He's endangering your health. You never put a human before us and look what's it cost you. You're injured."

"This? This is nothing." Cynthia spat, standing up to prove her point. She winced as pain laced through her leg.

"You can barely stand. Where's your human boyfriend now? Did he abandon you in the forest?"

"That's-"

"This is why humans and centaurs could never co-exist." Huna said coolly.

Cynthia frowned.

Several days passed before her leg had been treated and before she could see the beautiful meadow once more.

The wild grass and flowers grew prominently in this land it seemed. It thrived outside Bane's camp and where Cynthia's tribe was currently staying.

She yearned to see Harry again. 'I wonder if he even wants to see me again.' She thought. 'I did get him in trouble.'

Cynthia sighed. She rather not dwell on that possibility and focused on the grass and flowers in the meadow.

'Maybe I can make him a flower necklace.'

One of her many talents was the ability to weave grass and flowers in order to make flower crowns, bracelets and necklaces for her tribe. They often traded them with other clans that reveled in the art.

It'd be the perfect gift for Harry.

Ahalaror eventually saw her out in the field and sat with her as she was weaving beads of grass.

"What's that?" She asked.

"I'm making a crown."

"It's beautiful."

Interlaced with the grass was several violet flowers and white flowers with yellow centres.

"I'm guessing for the boy."

Cynthia nodded, looking up at her with bright eyes.

"What do you think of him, Ahalaror?"

"It's not for me to say but the likelihood of a centaur and a wizard coexisting is just as likely as any magical creature coexisting with a human. It's possible but it's very unlikely a relationship like that will last."

"What about you and that human man?"

"That was different. Not all loves are the same." She said. Her eyes were bright with wonder and misty with sadness.

"It's still a good love nevertheless. I'd want a love like that."

"It's unlikely to happen."

"Why? We're not that different."

"You think that the distance will not change your relationship, you think you two will never drift apart."

Cynthia nodded defiantly.

"Is that such a bad thing?" She asked. "I thought you of all people would understand. I love him."

"You can't possibly know what love is." Ahalaror said. "Can you even measure the worth? When your heart beats faster and you look at a person with lust in your heart you think that's love? Anybody could feel those emotions for anyone. You cheapen the feeling by saying your lust is love, 'through thick and thin our love will last because we're soul mates and we were born to be together'. Hah, you have the choice who you love just as much as you have the choice who you lust for...even the stars can't predict that. It's a prelude to arrogance and conceit, ignorance and outright foolishness in believing that everything's going to be alright because you are meant to be with that person. It's like you're already ruling out everyone else because of your own desire, you want to be with that one person that suits you."

"Is that why Huna is against our relationship?"

"She was once a young naïve girl like yourself. Huna found a human boy in the forest and fell in love with him. The two did many things that young couples generally do: kissing, touching. She heard about the fair and she was intending on asking him out but she overheard him talking with a couple of his friends. Apparently he didn't want to be seen with her. He said she was too embarrassing to be around. Eventually she discovered he was using her and he abandoned her when he had no use for her anymore."

"Oh."

"Yes oh."

"I'm sure Harry isn't like that."

"Hmm."

HPSS

**_A tiny rat skittered in front of him and slowly it's body began to shift. It grew into a small distorted man with two buck teeth._**

**_He had blond hair that was receding from the sides of his head._**

**_'Everything is ready, my lord.'_**

**_'Good." Harry said. "Is my spy in place?'_**

**_"The preparations are nearly complete.'_**

**_'Then it should be fine. He will certainly be taken by surprise.'_**

**_'Harry'_**

"Harry!"

Harry groaned as he felt the bed shake from under him. A fiery haired girl stared down at him with bright brown eyes which glistened with worry.

"Ginny, what are you doing down here?"

"I heard what happened."

"I see."

"Draco was bragging about it so I unleashed a bat bogie hex on him and his little cronies. They weren't too happy after that." Ginny said with a smile. "Where's Ron?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders.

"He should have been the first to see you. He is your friend after all."

"It doesn't matter."

"It should matter. If I had a friend like that...I'd be extremely worried."

There was something about his friend's little sister that was cute with the way she spoke her mind so passionately. Her face was red as if she had been genuinely upset and her lips curled in a pout.

"Why?" Harry asked testing the waters. He was certain that she had known what his nightmare had been about and wondered if Ginny was also afraid of what he could become.

" I'm just worried about you. Sometimes you look like you're about to go insane."

"How could you possibly-?"

"It's not just me. Ron told me he had to fetch Dumbledore one time when you were asleep. You were screaming in horror. The fact that you two were so close and he still hasn't said anything could only mean something is wrong."

Harry glanced at her however it wasn't pity that he'd seen in Ginny's eyes but determination. It was then he knew that he'd get through this.

"Have long have you had these nightmares?"

"Since the beginning of the year."

"I know you must have your reasons and all but why don't you go to Dumbledore?"

"I didn't want to. What kind of person would I be if I can't even solve my own problems?"

Ginny sighed.

"I know what you're going to say. It's pathetic. I don't even try."

"I wasn't going to say that." She said. "You try your best in your own way. You could be smart if you truly wanted to."

Harry smiled.

"Thanks. I guess I needed that." He said. Even though Ginny was a welcome addition he had wished that Cynthia had dropped by to comfort him from his nightmare.

He couldn't help wondering as the days went on if they could truly be happy together.

As the days had gone by, the scent of the hospital wing didn't get better. The smell of bitter herbs radiated around the room making him nauseous.

He had been rather lonely for the most part and thought Ron would have dropped by to visit. Unfortunately he remembered all too soon that the two of them had parted on a sour note.

Luckily the Weasleys arrived a couple of days later, Molly had been concerned about the bad omens surrounding the Tri-Wizard tournament.

"I just have a bad feeling." She said.

"Hey Harry, where's Ron?" Arthur asked.

Harry shrugged. Madam Pomfrey had healed the damage done to his mouth. Most of his teeth had been damaged and she had to conjure a new set of teeth.

Even though most of the damage had been repaired he still had to stay in the hospital wing until his ribs had been patched.

"Who did this to you?"

"Malfoy." Harry spat.

"That wretched boy." Molly cursed.

"Dumbledore should expel that boy." Arthur said. "So when are you going to be released?"

"Tomorrow."

"Good good, hopefully Malfoy will keep his hands to himself."

"I assure you Arthur I will personally made sure that Malfoy 'keeps his hands to himself' as you say."

Arthur and Molly whirled around to see none other than Severus Snape looking as menacing as ever.

"Why are you here, Severus?"

"I was simply restocking potions." He said while holding several vials of potions in his hands.

"Well, we'll see you later Harry. It was nice talking with you." Arthur said motioning Molly to come along.

"You too." Harry said.

The two left Harry alone with the potion master who ignored him for the most part.

"I'll hope to see you in detention tomorrow, Mr Potter." Snape said curtly before he left.

It wasn't until tomorrow afternoon that Harry was released from the hospital wing. Poppy had given him a crutch.

"You need to ease the pressure off that leg." She said.

He was stopped before he stepped into the courtyard by Professor McGonagall who informed him that he would be serving detention with Professor Snape. Stumbling towards the courtyard, Cynthia stood glancing at him patiently as if she were waiting for him.

Harry felt his heart skip a beat. She looked so beautiful with her auburn hair gleaming in the sun.

"Are you alright?" Cynthia asked, looking down at his crutch with worry.

"I just have to ease off on my leg is all."

"How did you get hurt?"

"Malfoy."

"Is he a boy in your class?"

"Yeah."

"What'd he do?"

"He just pulled a nasty trick is all."

"This is for you." Cynthia said handing him the flower crown that she had woven a couple of days ago.

"It's beautiful." He said.

"I'm glad you like it."

Somewhere far in the distance, Harry saw Professor Trelawney stepping out from her classroom behind Cynthia.

She was stumbling on a pile of books that she held in her hands. In a matter of seconds they fell to the floor.

Cynthia whirled around.

"Oh no, we should help her."

Harry wanted to refuse, he didn't exactly like Professor Trelawney but he complied with Cynthia's wishes and helped her with her books.

As Cynthia handed her the last of her books, Trelawney suddenly clung to her staring deep in her eyes.

There was flashes of a lonely heart, a deep woven affection, time slipping by as if it never existed, various memories and people fading away.

The fates had spoken through Trelawney and Cynthia was able to glance at a future that would come to pass. It was a sad future. There was a part of her that had hoped it wouldn't come true but fate was never something that could be changed.

She was shaken by the memories. A frown curled her lips.

"Cynthia, what's wrong?"

Cynthia shook her head. "I got to go."

She left without saying good-bye.


	15. Chapter 15

Warnings: Slight femmeslash ahead.

Chapter 15: September 25, 1965: Christmas

Thinking about what had transpired yesterday, she couldn't help but remember Stacy as she had exited that corridor. Had she also participated in those 'acts'?

Something was beginning to become very clear. Fabian Prewett had participated in these acts willingly and it seemed he had the talent to string any woman into having 'that' with him.

She suspected that perhaps the reason for it was because some part of those women 'loved' him. Maybe they loved what he represented. She herself had fallen for the 'bad' boy type now and then.

In nearly all her fantasies she had always envisioned Ron to be this bad boy character and felt the desire to change him. It was every girl's fantasy.

Something about it didn't seem right though...it just felt wrong but she knew better than to get involved and so she kept it a secret.

It was later that week that Hermione received a letter in the Great Hall.

Hermione unfolded the letter. It was a letter from Irene.

'So has my son managed to tell you where his brother is being held? I know how difficult he tends to be so I hope you'll manage to retrieve my son before the holiday.'

Sincerely

Irene'

Hermione frowned at the letter. She saw no point in asking about Rodolphus solely because she had wanted to keep her identity a secret. Rabastan had wanted to know her name from the start and he had been very insistent at the start.

She knew Rabastan enough as a kid to know that he thrived on her attention. If he wasn't stuck at his older's brother's side he was joined with her at the hip. She figured if she had ignored him he would come to her because she had something he didn't have.

He didn't have the right to make demands for his brother's life. How thoughtless was he?

She didn't dare tell Irene of her son's antics...odds are she would sorry for her boy.

The weeks went by until one day a girl stopped her just as she stepped outside of class.

"Hey!"

"Who are you?" Hermione asked cautiously. The girl in question had long wine-coloured hair and bright brown eyes. From her tie, Hermione could guess that she was also in Slytherin.

"I'm a close friend of Rabastan's."

"If you're here to convince me to apologise to him, save your breath." She spat.

The girl smirked, her lips curling in a mischievous grin.

"Why would I waste the effort?"

Hermione's eyes widened in confusion.

"He could apologise at his own time. I'm not going to apologise for him." The girl said, her lips curling in distaste. "I'm here to talk to you about something. I know your secret."

The girl happily skipped along and Hermione found herself compelled to follow her.

She turned after a while once she realised that Hermione was walking behind her loyally following her.

"I haven't told you my name, have I? It's Andromeda. You can call me, Dromeda for short."

The two eventually arrived at the library.

"Me and Rabastan have known each other for quite sometime. I already knew something was up when he told me that you were his sister. That's about as likely as a stormy day in Egypt." She said. "So who are you? Rabastan's been talking about you non-stop."

Hermione sighed.

"Anyway he was telling me that the two of you parted on a bitter note. With how stubborn he is he'll probably outright avoid you but with how much he talks about you...he appears to like you." She explained.

Hermione scoffed. She wondered how much of that statement was true. Maybe his plan was to make her feel guilty. How stupid she must be to crave for his approval.

"I don't see why I practically insulted his intelligence, calling him stupid."

She wouldn't feel guilty...she wouldn't.

"Was he mean to you?"

"In a matter of speaking. He's ruthlessly stubborn and can't accept no for an answer. I mean he thought it was a great idea to form a study group with us but didn't even want to bother read the textbook. How is he going to learn that way?"

Andromeda chuckled.

"There is a good reason he doesn't bother reading books you know? I don't know how much you know about his family but his father always made it prudent that he learned to read at a young age but he has dylexia so it was rather difficult for him. I hope you won't be too harsh with him."

'Wait, his father...that would be the same man who nearly killed Rodolphus. I can only imagine how he must have abused Rabastan while I was gone.'

If Hermione hadn't felt guilty before she did now.

'Still, it's almost like he doesn't even bother to try. He's not going to learn anything at this rate.'

"So what's your name?"

"Molly."

"Molly huh? I assume Rabastan didn't bother giving you any new clothes?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders. She didn't see the logic in spending money when she could just transfigure a new set of clothes to wear everyday.

"From that shrug on your shoulders, I'm guessing not. It's not healthy transfiguring the same clothes everyday. I know a nice store with a lot of nice clothes that would look good on you. We ought to go shopping sometime." said Andromeda with a smile.

Hermione felt her face become very hot...that must have been what Andromeda had been amused about.

HPSS

As the weeks passed by Hermione hadn't seen Rabastan by the library until she just happened to stumble by there after lunch.

He was in the library by himself looking to be immersed in one of his textbooks.

Some papers were scattered alongside him as well. Curious and feeling a tad awful for how she had snapped on him, she approached him with the intention of apologising.

"Hey!" she said.

Rabastan looked up and once he had seen who she was, he continued with work ignoring Hermione.

She gritted her teeth. Was he aware of how much he was trying her patience?

Hermione drew closer peering over his shoulder wondering what had caught his interest.

On the corner of her eye she could make out the handwriting on the parchment if was a lot different from Rabastan's own handwriting.

"You're cheating." She snapped.

Rabastan stared at her with mock innocence putting his hands up.

"Oh no, you caught me."

"This isn't funny. How are you going to learn copying your answers from someone else?"

"I wouldn't have to copy answers from anyone else if you would help me." He replied defiantly.

"What would be the point? You don't even want to learn and you act like reading a textbook is such a bad thing...just so you know I don't always write down the answers from the textbook. There are some answers that are not written in a textbook. Only by knowing the information in the textbook can you truly learn. How else are you going to form your own theories?"

"Why does it matter what I think about something? How can you care about something so insignificant?"

Hermione flushed as the reasoning just came to her. His opinion truly was insignificant but it mattered.

This same boy who stuck up for his brother when he was about to die at the hands of his father. She couldn't ignore it like it didn't matter.

"It does matter. If you had not formed your own opinion and had followed your father unquestionably your brother would have been dead."

Rabastan blushed.

"You still remember that?"

"Of course I do."

"It's not that. I just didn't think you'd remember something like that." He said, but Hermione heard all of his unspoken words.

'I thought you'd toss it aside because I thought you didn't care.'

"If you want my help, you are to show up in the library after lunch. If you show up during our study group I will not be able to help you because we'll be working on the homework from our classes." Hermione explained. "If you're having trouble reading, I'll read from the textbook if you'd like. Your friend, Andromeda told me you have dyslexia so I understand that you have trouble reading. That being said the only condition to this rule, no cheating."

Rabastan's eyes widened. He looked horrified.

"I mean it." Hermione said. "You're not going to learn anything cheating from someone else."

"Alright, Molly."

HPSS

As the weeks went by eventually snow began falling from the sky covering the school, covering the courtyard.

Weeks before the holiday, Hermione noticed Karen was looking very pale. She looked a little peakish in the face.

"Are you alright?" she asked after they had finished with study group.

"I'm -er fine."

During the winter months, the staff had made it a habit to heat up the school as the weather grew colder.

Karen was wearing black long-sleeved robes as usual and even wore them when the inside of the castle was remarkably warmer than outside.

Hermione figured she must have felt hot and stuffy wearing those thick black robes all the time.

"Are you sure? You look like you're a little hot."

Karen turned red.

"That's not it." She said hiding her hands underneath the table.

"What's the matter?"

Karen's eyes moved away from Hermione's as if her focus was elsewhere.

"The holiday is coming up."

"What's so bad about that?"

"Nothing...I just hate that special day that's coming up."

"You mean Christmas."

"Yeah, that one." She said with distaste.

"Why?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Do I have to have a reason?" Karen asked.

Hermione noticed her voice was becoming a little shakier. It almost looked like she was afraid of something.

"Don't you go home for the holiday?"

"I don't have a home. I live with my mother's friends. My parents died a long time ago."

"So you're staying at Hogwarts for the holidays?"

"Yeah." She said flatly. Hermione thought she might have been used to it. It reminded her of how Harry was every time during Christmas, withdrawn and emotionally distant.

The two continued to study for the rest of the evening before going to their common rooms.

After the first round of classes, Hermione met up with Rabastan in the library. Rabastan seemed very cheery talking about what had went on for the most of the day.

"Do you think you'll do well on the exams?"

The boy's eyes widened as if the thought hadn't come to mind.

"I completely forgot about the exams?"

Hermione couldn't help feeling sorry for him after he looked so lost.

"Don't worry about it. If you've retained most of what we've learned you should do well."

Rabastan looked at her with his cool blue eyes.

"What about you?"

"I have nothing to worry about."

Rabastan chuckled.

"I bet you're wondering what mum has planned for Christmas?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're my sister, Molly. I thought it was natural you'd be staying with us during the holiday."

"But..."

Hermione couldn't help but think of Karen and how she would be staying at Hogwarts all by herself.

"What's wrong? It's not like you to be so quiet."

Hermione told Rabastan everything about Karen, how she lost her parents and how she was staying at Hogwarts for the holiday.

"It must suck for her."

"In any case you better study or I won't give you something nice."

"A gift from Molly?" Rabastan mocked.

"Yes, Christmas is coming up." She said as if the answer was obvious.

Rabastan snorted as they continued to work. Much to Hermione's surprise it happened to be one of their more amusing conversations since she had vanished from his life.

A day before the exams, Hermione had just finished Transfiguration and was about to head to Herbology with Karen when she spotted Fabian lying in wait next to the exit.

"Hey you." He spat.

Hermione turned to look to who he was addressing.

"No, you."

She turned and saw that he was addressing her.

"What do you want?"

"Can't we just talk for a bit?"

"I have class if you don't mind."

Fabian snorted.

"Is your class more important than talking to me?"

"Don't be so arrogant, just because you think your handsome doesn't mean everyone shares the same opinion." Hermione snapped.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you liked me. I'll forget you insulted me if you go out with me?"

"Fat chance." She said. "Come on Karen, let's go."

"What do you know ickle Karen being told what to do like the little b-h she is?"

Hermione saw red. Was Karen also a part of his harem? How could he treat her so cruelly? She was her friend.

Before she realised what she had done, Hermione lashed out slapping him across the face leaving a red mark in her absence.

Fabian's jade eyes widened in surprise.

"She's not a 'b-h', you f-g j-k. She's twice the person you'll ever be. One day she'll be the Minister for Magic for all you know and you'll bow at her feet." Hermione spat angrily.

"Bow at her feet? Don't make me laugh. You won't hear the end of this."

"I bet you just can't wait to tell your father all about it."

He stared at her strangely.

"You think you can threaten me, you wouldn't know where to start. If that's the best you can come up with, then you're pathetic." She said coolly and walked off leaving him to think about what she said.

Later that weekend most of the children were heading to Hogsmeade to enjoy the snow but Hermione couldn't but feel that Karen might be missing out.

She clearly had permission from her guardians as Hermione had seen her around Hogsmeade time and again.

Hermione saw her peering out the window, outside of the library.

"What are you doing here by yourself?" she asked.

"Oh I just didn't feel like going out."

"Because it's Christmas?"

Karen flushed, looking very guilty.

"It's alright to hate it but I want to show you something special. So do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me?" She asked.

Karen turned away.

"I don't got a coat or any mittens. I'll be cold." She protested.

"I can transfigure your clothes if you like."

"You know how to do that?"

Hermione nodded.

"All right."

"Close your eyes."

Karen closed her eyes and Hermione waved her wand. Her clothes began to thicken and extend.

Hermione removed her gloves.

"You could wear these." She handed them over to Karen. The exchange causing the two of them to brush hands and sparks to travel up Hermione's wrist.

'What was that all about?' Hermione thought puzzled by the exchange.

Once Karen had put on her gloves, Hermione grabbed her hand.

"Let's go."

The two happily walked to Hogsmeade with the rest of the students. A large Christmas stood in the middle of the town shrouded in Christmas lights and covered in snow.

"Wow, it's so beautiful." said Karen, her voice full of awe.

In the middle of town, some students had begun making snow balls throwing them at each other.

Most everyone was enjoying themselves and having again time. Madam Rosemerta had even left The Three Broomsticks to join in the fun.

She was giggling and laughing with Hagrid who looked to have been visiting. Hermione really hadn't seen him much. She didn't think he even worked at Hogwarts.

'Dumbledore was the one who had hired him to work at Hogwarts as Keeper of the Keys. So it would make sense he's not working at Hogwarts while Professor Dippet is headmaster.' She thought.

So wrapped up in her thoughts she was taken aback when a snowball hit her cleanly in the face.

'Ouch.'

"Ow."

She could feel tiny specks of icy water and dirt in her eyes and Hermione attempted to wipe it off with the sleeve of her jacket.

"Are you alright, Molly?"

Hermione could hear the concern in Karen's voice. The next second she screamed. A barrage of snow balls began pummeling them with an absurd ease coating them with icy cool water.

By the end of it, Hermione was shivering with cold. Her socks were wet and she was outright freezing.

Madam Rosemerta immediately caught sight of Karen and Hermione shivering with cold.

"You two look freezing. You must come inside. I have something that'll cure that right up."

The two girls followed her in The Three Broomsticks.

After they had taken a seat at one of the tables, Madam Rosemerta left returning some time later with two mugs of hot chocolate topped with whipped cream.

Karen took a whiff of the chocolate, the smell bringing a smile to her face.

"It smells good."

Hermione blew on her mug before taking a sip of the chocolate. She wondered if Karen had enjoyed herself. From her stance it wasn't exactly a pleasant thing to be bombarded by snow balls, it could have very well soured the experience.

"I love this. Is it always this fun?"

"What do you mean?"

"The snow. If we had hot chocolate every time we got wet it'd certainly be fun." She said licking her lips where some chocolate had remained. It was a somewhat erotic gesture.

"You mean you don't do this kind of stuff at home?"

"No." She said shakily. "I'd rather not burden my father's friends any more than I already do."

Hermione noted that her brown eyes had taken a dull colour.

"How are you a burden to them?"

She closed her eyes as if the subject was too painful.

"My parents died around Christmas time. It was a late evening during a full moon but I didn't hear about it until the next day...by that time they were dead. During that time I was staying with my aunt. A week later, she died. Many of my relatives said I was cursed...that is was my fault that they died so my father's friends took me in. I don't want anything bad to happen to them, they're nice people." Karen said sadly.

"During this time of the year, I'd hear the kids in our neighborhood talk about the gifts they receive around Christmas time. Every year they'd ride their new bike or brag about some new video game out of the market. It always seemed as if it wasn't enough. One of the neighbors who lived next door always talked about how this whole holiday centred on the birth of Jesus Christ. If it was a holiday centred on Jesus Christ why does the holiday provoke such a selfish desire. Kids always want gifts...not once do I hear them talk about this savior. I always thought it was an adult's justification to celebrate the holiday just so their kids have an excuse to whine like spoiled brats. I never wanted to be a spoiled brat so I never asked for anything."

"I don't think you're cursed. A couple of coincidents doesn't make you cursed. It makes your relatives cowards. If they truly loved you the risk wouldn't have mattered."

Karen smiled softly.

"I know. I wanted to thank you for sticking up for me yesterday. You didn't have to you know. I would have understood if you took his side."

"Who're you talking about? You mean that sorry excuse for a w-e." Hermione snapped.

"MOLLY!"

"Well, I'm not going to call that little boy with his insulting attitude and his sorry excuse for a harem anything better. Calling him a stud would waste words and succeed in inflating his large ego."

"Sometimes I admire you." Karen said softly. "I heard that you made quite a spectacle with the rest of the Gryffindors and you stuck up to that bully. Sometimes I wish I had the courage to speak my mind."

"Do you know anything about him? He sleeps with girls only to toss them aside like they're no good. How could you let him do that? You're better than that, Karen."

Karen chuckled lightly. It had a light ring to it that was comforting.

"Ooh. I didn't know she put marshmallows in this." Hermione said glancing into her mug.

Karen followed suit.

"Oh, she did. I love marshmallows."

After they drank their hot chocolate they headed out, Hermione dragging Karen behind.

Once they were walking for quite sometime that was when Hermione caught a glance of short red hair and dragged Karen into a dark alcove between two of the shops.

"Molly, what's wrong?"

"I saw Fabian. We can't let him see us."

Karen made a move to see what Hermione was talking about when her arms stopped her. Hermione had captured Karen in her embrace.

"You're so cold, Molly."

Hermione found herself bewildered by her profound heat surrounding her and confusing her. She was so close that Hermione could feel her breasts brushing against her own.

Suddenly Karen brought her arms around Hermione and brought them even closer together.

"Are you warm now, Molly?"

Hermione nodded.

Karen brought one of her hands up to Hermione's chin tilting it up slightly before she covered Hermione's mouth with her own.

Hermione felt her nails latch on to her back like claws.

Something about the kiss felt so right, yet so wrong.

On the corner of her mind she could see Ron's red hair, blue eyes and freckled face smiling at her.

Hermione pulled away.

"I'm sorry I..."

"No, it's my fault. I thought you were...I'm sorry." Karen said running off leaving Hermione stranded in Hogsmeade.

As time flashed by, the arrival of the exams caught many of the students off guard. By the end of it many students were relieved by the upcoming holidays in which they'd gather around a Christmas tree opening their gifts and professing their love for each other.

A week after the exams, a day before the train headed back to King's Cross Hermione headed to the library.

Rabastan lay back relaxing against the chair, his legs up against the table pushing the chair back so it only stood on two legs. He gave Hermione a side glance and had a huge grin as if he was completely satisfied with himself.

"I told you there'd be nothing to worry about. I heard I did very good on my exams."

Hermione walked up to Rabastan in long strides hitting him on the back of the head with a hard object.

"What was that for?" He snarled.

"Don't let it get to your head." She said handing him the book.

"Is this for me?" He asked, his eyes widening in surprise. "I appreciate the sentiment but..."

"You don't like reading?"

"I'm guessing Andromeda told you about my father."

"In any case, that isn't going to stop me from giving up. If you can't read a book it shouldn't stop anyone from reading the books to you. During the exams I decided to create a spell for you that will read for you. I wrote it down in the book. If you want I could teach you after the holiday?"

Rabastan coughed and looked away. His face was red. He looked to be a little embarrassed about something.

"That won't necessary. You were talking about how your friend was staying here for the holiday, so I decided to invite her to stay with us. Think of it as my Christmas present to you since I completely forgot about your Christmas present."

"What? That's awfully considerate of you."

Rabastan smiled.

"What can I say? I am a very considerate man."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: February 22, 1975: When Things Get Stormy

Anger fueled his pace as Harry stomped towards the portrait of Salazar Slytherin who was guarding the Slytherin common room.

'How dare he!' Harry thought. Did he get some satisfaction in insulting him? He seemed to look down on Harry as though he were stupid. Sure he had tried to get close to Snape with less than pure motives but at the same time a part of him had hoped he could at least befriend the boy on equal grounds.

'It seems it's a hopeless cause.' He thought taking out his bag. Inside he had a stash of Naughty Witches magazines which he took out.

'Snape would probably take these away if he knew what I was reading. 'The thought made him grin. 'Better hide it.'

Carefully Harry took out his transfiguration book and hid the issue of Naughty Witches behind the book. 'Perfect.'

"Lestrange!" Snape called for him. Harry looked up and his nose was abnormally enlarged. It was probably the backlash of Sirius Black. He had been up to something no doubt with the way that bucket had been tied to the ceiling. Harry had seen him in the crowds that paraded the halls talking with a couple of gryffindors and occasionally glancing in his direction.

"What happened to you?"

"That isn't your concern, Lestrange."

By the way his eyebrow furrowed Harry assumed he was furious. Harry in a sense would have left without Snape which probably had been rather rude in his opinion if he knew the man well enough.

"What?"

"Does that book fancy your interest that much? I know for a fact you are not studying the textbook." Snape snarled. From what he had seen it seemed Lestrange had known a great deal of magic, things that hadn't even been covered in Transfiguration and Charms yet. He was so skilled he didn't even need to read the textbook.

The thought angered him...Lestrange was ignoring him as if he couldn't be bothered to give him the time of day. He lunged towards him and swiped the book from his hand.

A magazine dropped to the floor stuck on a page of a woman lying nude on a chaise.

Snape's eyes caught the sight and stepped away from the magazine as if he were burned.

"Satisfied?"

Snape's face began darkening almost as if he were a volcano about to erupt.

He glared at the smug look on Harry's face.

"Y-You...y-you..."

"Speechless?"

Snape pointed his wand at the magazine.

"Incendio."

The edges of the magazine began to crinkle black and the faint flickering flames began to eat the magazine making it crumble to ash.

"Hey what was that for?" Harry sputtered. "I was looking at that."

Snape straightened his face.

"Do you often acquaint yourself with naughty material?" Snape asked coolly.

"Are you a prude or something because you sure act like one."

"Where's the rest of it?"

"Rest of what?"

"Your porn stash."

Harry sighed with exasperation.

"Are you really doing this right now?"

Snape glared at him. His expression didn't move an inch and his arms were folded. It was clear he was not going to take no for an answer.

"If you're sitting in class simply to waste time the last thing you need is to lose more brain cells over that rubbish."

Harry dug into his bag and brought out most of his naughty magazines.

'That should be enough to satisfy him.' He thought.

Mixed in with the magazines was also issues of the Naughty Wizards magazines.

Snape glanced over the magazines. A bit of naked male flesh on one of the covers caught his eye.

He removed of the magazines slightly curious about the other magazine in Harry's possession and was stunned by what the other magazines had concealed. There was a naked man on the cover.

Snape was stiff and hadn't said a word for some time.

"Hey Snape! Snape!" Harry said.

Snape hadn't seemed to be aware of Harry. He flashed his hands over Snape's face.

"Are you alright? You're looking a little peakish."

Snape looked a little out of it for a moment before he growled.

"Get your hands... out of my face." He enunciated every word distinctively.

Harry immediately pulled away and Snape ran off the other direction seemingly forgetting about his task in ridding him of those naughty magazines.

'Well more for me in any case.' Harry thought smugly, gathering his magazines and putting them back in his bag.

After he had finished packing his magazine he walked over to his bed upstairs.

Snape was already lounging on his bed, his arms folding behind his head. He looked relaxed for the most part but Harry knew better. His nose was still enlarged and his lips were still curled in a frown.

Harry got up on the bed knowing better to talk to Snape when he was in one of his moods.

Evan came in some time later.

"Severus! Hey Severus."

Snape at this point turned around facing away from Evan, his head covered with the blankets.

"Avery wanted to talk to you."

"I'm not coming."

"Come on, Snape be reasonable."

"I don't want to talk to him."

In one clean sweep, Evan removed the covers off of Snape's head revealing Snape's enlarged nose.

Evan stifled his laughter.

"What happened? Did Potter and his cronies hex you again? You do it on yourself you know? You shouldn't let them get to you."

In a matter of seconds Evan pulled away.

"A stinging hex...very creative." He said staring at his wrist with fascination. A large red welt circled his wrist.

"Then you'll do well to listen when I say I want to be left alone."

Evan snorted.

"Fine. Stay in bed see if I care." He said sourly heading to bed.

It was some time before Harry got down from his bed. Evan it seemed had curled up on his side facing away from Snape. By the looks of it, he seemed rather upset with Snape.

From what he recalled, Snape hadn't had any real friends outside of Lily. Snape had often referred to her as his only true friend.

Still glancing at Evan's backside, Harry wondered what exactly was Snape's relationship with the boy. If Harry hadn't known better he would have thought that Snape and Evan were best friends. His reaction to Snape's behavior had been very tense and Evan had seemed quite upset about it, too upset to be simply acquaintances.

The two argued quite often and they seemed to be very good friends by the way Evan would address him in a familiar way.

Could it be that Snape wasn't aware of how Evan had felt for him? He had always assumed that everyone despised him. There was even a time that Snape had thought that many members of the Order of the Phoenix had disliked him.

Harry sighed. He kind of felt sorry for Evan in a way. It was truly a pity that there was hardly a chance that Snape would see it that way. He'd always be under the pathetic delusion that there was always an ulterior motive.

Evan was a pureblood, a deatheater, a person who hate muggles and all they stood for. Snape had loved a muggleborn witch and his beliefs were completely against Evan's ideology.

With Slytherin's famed reputation of spouting death eaters, it was granted that every wizard in that house would be slightly cautious. There was no telling when someone would stab you in the back if it meant saving their own skin.

It had probably been hard for Snape to trust anyone.

'But he can't even trust you, can he?' A voice uttered in his head. In the beginning he had been very cautious and intent on not telling Snape anything. If Harry knew one thing it had been clear from the start that while his father never wanted Snape dead...the opposite hadn't been true.

One wrong move on his part, one slip about his future and how he was related to James Potter meant the difference between his survival and his death.

Still...even knowing that Harry couldn't help but feel a little sad. It just made Snape pathetic in his eyes...pathetically lonely.

Granted Harry hadn't forgotten how mean and how cruel the man was. He'd never forget.

Still he couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him after Lily had practically left him as food for the wolves. It had been easy... too easy it seemed for Lily to give up on him.

Through all the trials and tribulation, Ron had been with him through his good and bad. Harry was sure there was many times he had wanted to give up and feed him to the wolves.

With that horcrux in his head, it would have been a matter of time before Voldemort had complete control over his body. Yet Ron had been there. He had been there when Harry wanted to die and he had even been there when he nearly was tempted by the dark arts.

Harry had been mean and he had been cruel. Ron could have abandoned him when his sister had died yet he did not. It had been his fault that she had died, if he hadn't been so self-absorbed...

There was a time Harry had been lonely and had wanted someone there for him even if he hadn't deserved it. Humans had errors. There was a time where he was in denial over this fact but he was human and he had feelings too.

Harry sat down beside Snape's bedside.

It would make him feel twice as pathetic if he had ever left him simply because he was a bad guy. He had always been compared to his mother...a woman who was said to be a pleasant woman who carried a lot of patience and a certain tolerance towards people otherwise scorned by everyone else.

Harry sighed.

Patience it seemed was a fickle thing used too loosely. The bonds of their friendship were fragile to begin with. Many seams were undone. No one could be bothered to repair the damage done. She had given up.

If friendship was everlasting, her patience wouldn't have shattered. It didn't matter what Snape had done because in her mind perhaps she had wanted to believe he would never change so she had given up.

She was a popular girl and probably had friends at the start. Harry wondered if she had ever felt lonely or if she tossed out her humanity.

Harry breathed a shuddered breath.

He'd never forget the suffocating shadow of dark and bitter loneliness, if he had the power he was going to make sure no one ever suffered from it again. Even if Snape angered him or irritated him, he had to be willing to set that aside even if it was painful.

He wanted to be a crutch for Snape to lean on.

"Lestrange."

Harry turned to gaze at Snape who was staring at him, his nose still as large as before.

"Is there a reason why you're sitting beside my bed?"

Harry pointed at his nose.

"Isn't that uncomfortable?"

"A little bit." Snape murmured softly.

"I can fix it if you want me to."

"For a price?"

Harry could sense the caution in his voice. If he told him that he didn't want any money he was sure that Snape would mistake his words for pity.

"I wouldn't accept the payment."

"What brought forth your concern?"

Harry turned to glance in his direction. Snape seemed a little taken aback from his words perhaps he had expected him to list a price.

"It isn't concern."

'People would call this empathy.'

Snape got up from his bed and sat down next to Harry.

"If you're going to do this, make it quick." He said softly turning to glance at Harry.

Harry waved his wand and watched his nose shrink to its normal size.

Snape seemed surprise by the display of kindness. His eyes were very wide and in a matter of second he turned away with bright red cheeks. Harry wondered what he had thought.

Had he been embarrassed from being overcome with joy or did he turn away because he was ashamed of himself? Harry knew that he often didn't like to accept help from anyone, he wondered if that was still the case.

"Thanks..."

"You're welcome."

Harry wondered if he had imagined the words that spilled out of Snape's mouth. No, it was clear he was delusional. Snape would never say thank you to him, not even in a million years.

Unfortunately that day had been the only highlight of the week.

HPSS

Eventually the bullying had built to such an extent that Harry couldn't head to class without some Gryffindor issuing some hex or curse.

Luckily all the bullying had ceased once he set foot in the Slytherin common room. He had definitely been looking forward to turning in for the night.

Relaxing for a while, Harry laid on the bed eventually falling asleep.

Towards the middle of the night, Harry was sound asleep engrossed in his dream. He was being chased. It was rather fast paced and the only thing he could feel was the fear fueling his brain to keep going.

Over time Harry began to feel tired, his chest was tight and he was certain that a headache had formed.

The man had no distinguishable face. He hovered over him with an axe. Harry felt around for his wand.

CRASH!

Harry awoke. 'What was that?'

The dream had vanished and there was nothing but darkness.

Harry peered over the bed. Green eyes shimmered in the darkness. One of his first discoveries while practising transforming into his animagus form was the ability to see in the dark.

It had been relatively useful when he had used it to escape from the Lestranges.

At the corner of his eyes, Harry could see Snape collect his feet. It appeared that he tripped over some luggage in his path.

Snape peered around cautiously as paranoid as ever.

'What's he doing?'

From the looks of it, Harry thought he might have sneaked out. 'That's impossible. After all that lecturing that he gave me for sneaking out.'

Harry was curious where he was going but not wasn't the time. He'd have to prepare before spying on him next time because he had left his invisibility cloak in the room of requirement and he would need it next time if he wanted to follow him efficiently.

Unfortunately for the next couple of days the bullying however still continued. He didn't want to complain about it because the last thing he needed was someone to shower him with pity but it hadn't gone unnoticed for very long.

Harry had fallen behind on his homework with the constant stress in evading attacks and decided to approach Snape about the matter.

"Do you have time to talk?"

"What is it, Lestrange?"

Harry shuffled on his heels.

"I was wondering if you could help me with my homework."

"What could possibly hinder you from completing it? You're smart and intelligent. I'd think it'd be a piece of cake for someone like you."

The last thing he wanted to do was admit he was getting picked on by students from his own house.

"I just need to have a little peek from your notes is all. I didn't hear about the material covered in class."

"Sleeping like usual?"

"No..."

"Forget it, Lestrange. I don't want to hear your excuses. You can borrow my notes." He said. "Just keep in mind that I won't always be so lenient with you."

Snape looked up. There was no denial or an attempt of a retort towards his statement. Just acceptance, he had thought Harry would make a counter argument about how he was so much smarter than Snape.

This silence was bothering him. It wasn't like him to be so quiet. Snape wanted to get to the bottom of it.

"What's wrong?"

"What do you mean, what's wrong? I'm fine."

"You're quiet."

"I can't be quiet?"

Why did Lestrange have to be so difficult?

"Can you hand me your notes please? I want to get started on my homework as soon as possible."

Snape sighed, massaging his forehead where the start of a migraine headache began to brew.

HPSS

It had been rather unfortunate later that day when Harry had run into several Gryffindors on the way to the bathroom.

Harry might have been a little hasty after holding it in through Professor Flitwick's class.

"What's the big idea?" A boy with a mop of light blond hair said, whirling around after Harry crashed head first into his back.

Another boy ran up to him. He had dark hair and face.

"What's the matter, Tiberius?"

"This little git is trying to pick a fight with me." He growled furiously. "Do you think just because we hold a little interest in you that you can do whatever you like? I don't like you. I don't like anyone who is friends with Snape."

"You want me to take care of him?" The other boy asked, crackling his knuckles in intimidation.

"Knock yourself out." Tiberius said lazily.

"Don't touch him." A chilly voice fluttered through the air. Harry turned around and saw a person standing in the shadows.

Walking towards him, Harry recognised him instantly because unlike his brother he wore his hair long.

"What are you doing?"

"I had a feeling you had a run in with a bunch of foolish gryffindors. That's why you kept showing up late."

Harry turned and saw Rodolphus who looked furious by the current events.

"I don't need your help." He snapped clinching his hands into tight fists. A vivid image of two men hovered over his body.

"Stop it."

"You'll never...same...I do."

Rabastan was hovering over his body with the bloody dagger. He was grinning with utter joy at the mess he had created. Rodolphus had stood next to him looking on.

He didn't dare look in their eyes. His older brother didn't hold anything...it was simply the fact that he was there watching on as Rabastan stabbed him with the knife that was horrifying.

Harry couldn't forget the suffocating air, the feeling of utter helplessness as the dagger dug into his skin countless times. He told himself that he'd never forgive them...that he'd never trust them.

"This is not up for debate."

His lips twitched and his fingers inched for his wand which was in a holster on his thigh near his right hand. Was this all a trick? Were they simply using Harry's own emotions against him? Harry wasn't going to be obligated to repay the favour.

The stiff stance of Rodolphus however didn't seem to falter and his face grew darker.

"If I didn't know any better I'd say you were worried about me."

"If I am?"

"It doesn't matter."

Rodolphus peered down at his shoes.

"Do you often just sit back and tolerate it? That's pathetic."

"It's not your concern." Harry said.

"Since you've known my family it's been my concern."

The dark-haired boy pulled out his wand.

"Celerkate."

A beam of white light hit Harry in the back.

Rodolphus had pulled his wand at the same time as Harry pitched forward before everything went black.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17: March 1, 1995: Engagement

Harry continued pacing down into the dungeons, knocking on the door to the entrance of the potion classroom.

"Come in."

He opened the door and stepped inside.

"You're late, Potter."

Harry looked up and saw Snape was sitting behind his desk grading papers. His lips were curled in a smile and there was a grace in which he graded his papers. Harry thought he looked happy.

Still as he dwelt on his conversation with Cynthia he couldn't help but feel uneasy. Her mood had changed once she had the run in with Professor Trelawney...when she had began praddling on about that prophesy.

The person with a disfigured fate will have a destiny in the past. Granted with a choice the world will remain or be destroyed.

It was a vague prophesy but Harry didn't think it had anything to do with him.

What could have soured her mood? The only thing he could think of was the so-called premonition powers that Cynthia had. Has she somehow seen something that she didn't like?

She never did explain how she used these powers perhaps all she needed to do was gaze into a person's eyes to see their future. Even if she did see the future Cynthia said herself that it was only a potential future so what would she be so upset.

"How's your leg?"

A fog eased in Harry's mind and Snape was looking at his papers. Had he been talking to him?

"It's fine."

Snape coughed.

"I'm only asking because the headmaster was concerned. It's not because I care or anything."

"I know." Harry said, feeling irritated by the man. Why did he feel the need to rub it in?

"As long as you know that."

"What do you want me to do, professor?"

"Clean the floor, Potter. It seems a couple of loony gryffindors though it prudent to soil my floor with their latest potion experiments and made a mess of the entire classroom."

Harry looked on the floor and saw globs of green sludge spattered across the floor. His lower lips twitched curling in a frown.

"It's perfectly harmless, I assure you."

Had he looked horrified? He was scared of a little goo thank you very much. Besides that he was certain if the potion master had been trying to kill him, the headmaster would have not been too friendly.

"Get a rag from the cupboard."

Harry walked to the shelves towards the back and knelt down to retrieve a rag on the bottom of the cupboard. Before heading to the sink to fill a bucket of water. He mixed in with some soap nearby and placed the rag inside the bucket before moving to the floor.

As he got to his knees, Snape's lips curled into a smug grin. He seemed to be getting kicks out of seeing Harry on his knees.

The stain was proving very hard to scrub and the way Snape was staring at him with a gleam in his eyes was unnerving to say the least.

He turned away and resorted to kneeling so he was nearly on all fours. He toiled on scrubbing at the difficult stain but the first one was proving hard to clean.

His arse stuck up in the air as he scrubbed at the stain with an up and down motion not noticing when Snape's jaw twitched or when his eyes darkened.

Snape got up from his desk and began walking briskly in Harry's direction and promptly took a seat on his back.

Harry cried out at the extra weight and fell to the floor.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Snape glared down at him.

"What could possibly be taking you so long simply cleaning one stain?"

"It's hard." he said pulling himself up to his knees.

Snape was silent.

Harry glanced at him. His eyes seemed oddly focused on his desk like it was the most interesting thing in the world. Were his eyes deceiving him or did Snape look a little flustered. He wondered what had caused the change.

Was it something he said? He was struck with deja vu. The only time he had seen anything remotely similar was when they were stuck in that closet hiding from Professor McGonagall.

'Wait, 'it's hard?' Harry thought.'Could it be? Could he be thinking about-What a dirty mind.'

Harry got up on his feet irked with the man. He had thought that the kiss had been a one time thing but now Snape was a little flustered after Harry said a couple of words.

"You!" He said pointing at Snape. How dare he? It was embarrassing enough that the man had been his first kiss. Harry was certain the man was trying to humiliate him.

Snape stared at him his left hand covering his mouth. Upon scrutinising him Harry thought he heard a grunt coming from the man.

His hand however didn't conceil the upturn of his lips. The man it seemed had been trying to stiffle laughter.

Harry looked down at his robes. The green sludge had stuck to the front of his robes.

"Is there something funny?" Harry spat.

"Nothing Potter." Snape replied with a mirth present in his eyes.

Harry folded his arms, his lips curled in a pout.

A rich sound of laughter spilled from Snape's lips and he seemed to be clutching his abdomen in result of the extent of it.

"Are you done?"

It was a nice sound despite the malicious intent behind it. Harry didn't see what was so funny about the situation. It was his fault thinking that his back was a seat. What had possessed the man to sit on him.

"You're done for today."

"What about my robes?"

"Clean them yourself."

Harry glared at him before stomping out of the dungeons.

As he headed back to the Gryffindor common room, Harry heard a noise coming from a darkened corridor just as he was about the head upstairs straight out of the dungeons.

Peering around the corner however his eyes were burned by the sight of Oliver Wood and Marcus Flint having a go at each other like starved animals.

The two were rivals, what the heck were they doing making out in the shadows.

He'd definitely have to wash his head out with bleach tonight to get that image out of his head. He wondered why he had never heard about this kind of thing happening before but in a way it made sense.

Perhaps stuff like that was normal and Harry felt disgusted by it because he was so used to the norms of muggle society. Muggles weren't as open to such things and no muggle was as close-minded as the Dursleys. Such things were freakish in their eyes.

'They are more progressive though.' Harry thought. 'It would make sense that such things would be normal.'

A part of him had always thought he'd feel weird that he'd feel left out because he wasn't a normal person yet just knowing that they were these kind of people at his school made him feel as if he were no longer that awkward boy.

As the days passed by Harry forgot about all too quickly however as the teasing had not ceased. He found overtime he couldn't stand it and he thought he'd be driven mad.

'I wish it all would just stop.'

A calm sea opened up in the depths of his minds washing his worries away. It felt peaceful here as long as he forgot everything.

HPSS

As the days began to fade away something became clear from the memories that were invoked by looking into the eyes of that woman.

Many centaurs were taught not to argue with fate. Fate was the element written in the stars that dictated their lives. While Ahalaror had disagreed with the fates, Cynthia had always believed in the fates.

Still a part of her couldn't help but be afraid. What if he left her someday? What if he abandoned her because he found someone better? It was a thought she hadn't realistically considered.

She wondered if Huna was actually wiser than she seemed. Harry might abandon her someday.

Maybe he wouldn't want to be in public with her, perhaps it was an intention to keep it secret from the public. She was deadly afraid he would throw her away like garbage.

That would be the only way he would ever turn from her so easily. There was no way it could have been a trick of the fates.

She wanted to test him to see if his love was true. Cynthia wanted to know if Harry would be alright with making their relationship public.

How could she ask him?

Maybe a date to Hogsmeade? She thought while lying down in her tent.

Her parents stepped inside.

"Oh there you are, Cynthia. We were looking all over for you?"

For the past several months her parents had gone hunting in the forest and had only returned yesterday.

"We've got good news."

"What is it, father?"

"You are engaged."

"WHAT? Who am I engaged to?" She asked.

"Acero, honey. He seemed fine with it. He's really a nice guy I don't see why you are so shocked."

Cynthia had paled at the revelation.

"Mum, I already have a boyfriend."

"Who?"

"It's Harry Potter, mum."

"That human that Firenze likes to talk about. Nonsense." Her father said.

"It's not nonsense it's true."

"You know how our clan feels about such matters. A relationship between a human and a centaur isn't even acknowledged. You are engaged with Acero and that's my final word on the matter."

"I'm not engaged to anybody."

"At least give him a chance."

"No."

"Cynthia don't be difficult.

"Fine I'll leave, I'll go with Harry and I'll leave." Cynthia said defiantly stomping off in the forest.

Her father sighed.

"That girl is difficult."

"You wouldn't raise her any different."

"But surely she knows of our traditions."

"She'll have to find out for herself."


End file.
